These are among the things we hope to learn. [The spokes] are obviously related to a host of processes…and may point to some important effects in understanding the magnetic field and the planet's magnetosphere, and how these systems interact with the rings and atmosphere.

These are among the things we hope to learn. [The spokes] are obviously related to a host of processes…and may point to some important effects in understanding the magnetic field and the planet's magnetosphere, and how these systems interact with the rings and atmosphere.

Well, in some sense we should have expected, if the recent models are correct, to see them on the dark side where the photoelectron abundance is low. So, I was surprised to see them. But once they showed up, I realized we should have expected them there all along.

[Of intense interest will be a Cassini determination of the periodicity in the appearance of spokes. This will require monitoring spoke activity from a variety of geometries over several years.] Cassini has found that the SKR period has changed since Voyager, which though hard to believe, may mean that the rotation of Saturn's interior has changed, ... That would be a finding of enormous consequence, so, we'll be looking very closely to see if the frequency of spoke activity has changed too.

It felt like the old days, when we first saw the spokes. They are one weird phenomena and it was a joy to see them again…especially since we hadn't seen them yet and were eager to know why.

We realize that this is a radical conclusion. If we're right, we think we are looking at another environment in the solar system where we have liquid water and the potential for living organisms.