Space " doughnut " by Maria Vasilova

A recent analysis of Cassini orbiter data confirmed existence of an electric "doughnut " around Saturn. This electric phenomenon is created by an electrified plasma, extended to more than 746.000 miles into space, surrounding Saturn. What makes this discovery extraordinary is the fact that the so called "doughnut " rotates.The scientist Don Mitchell informed the public about this new discovery at a conference in the beginning of year 2007, but the new study of his team confirms it.Explanation of the " doughnut" phenomenon is following & the source of Saturn's ring current is its moon Enceladus, that shoots out a lot of oxygen in form of water. Sun breaks up the water and turns it into ions that ale captured by the Saturn's magnetic field and turned into a tube of electrified plasma. Under the pressure of solar wind on Saturn's night side, the plasma is smeared and drifted into space in form of a "doughnut". In addition, while Earth's ring current made of upper atmosphere and solar wind particles is more or less stationary, Saturn's ring current is rotating with the planet. The reason is the speed of Saturn's rotation that is twice higher than Earth's. It causes that the heavy solar wind particles rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. While this study resolves the mystery space "doughnut" around Saturn, there is another one to be resolved. "There's a point during the rotation where we see an energy spike, so there's something special about a particular spot on Saturn," said Mitchell . "For now, though, we don't know what it could be."

related story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22219252/

by Maria Vasilova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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