ENERGETIC ELECTRONS IN THE MAGNETOSPHERE OF SATURN

The energy spectra and angular distributions of electrons observed by Pioneer 11 as a function of radial distance in the inner magnetosphere of Saturn are reanalyzed and phase space densities are then calculate d. The radial dependence of phase space density requires a distributed loss process. The loss is greatest in the region of the E ring (5.5 < L < 8.5) and is attributed to collisions with the ring particles in a greement with earlier work by Van Allen et al. (1980b). Quantitative a nalysis yields the following properties of the E ring: the particle ra dii are in the range of 4 x 10(-5) to 3.2 x 10(-4) cm and the thicknes s of the ring is approximately 3 R(s). Between the inner edge of the E ring (5.5 R(s)) and the outer edge of the A ring (2.3 R(s)) there are more energetic electrons than can be supplied by radial diffusion fro m an external source. Detailed calculations show that a cosmic ray alb edo neutron decay (CRAND) source in the A and B rings is a plausible s ource for this excess. The radial diffusion coefficient required to ex plain the E ring absorption and CRAND source for electrons is 1 X 10(- 12) > D0 > 3 x 10(-12) R(s)2/ s, assuming that D(LL) = D0L3. As part o f the reanalysis program, a method for the deconvolution of pitch angl e distributions observed by simple detectors on a rotating spacecraft is developed. This process removes the instrumental response and rotat ional smear due to finite sampling periods and yields true angular dis tributions.