Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys

We report on unusual dynamics in Titan's ionosphere as a significant difference in ionospheric electron density is observed between the T118 and T119 Cassini nightside flybys. Two distinct nightside electron density peaks were present during T118, at 1,150 and 1,200 km, and the lowest density e...

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Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado: 2018
Materias:
Cassini
ionosphere
RPWS/LP
Titan
Carrier concentration
Electron density measurement
Impact ionization
Ionospheric measurement
Density difference
Extreme Ultraviolet
Ionospheric electron densities
Neutral densities
Radio and plasma waves
Ionosphere
electron
electron density
ionization
magnetic field
probe
Saturn
Acceso en línea:https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg
Aporte de:
Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) de Universidad de Buenos Aires
id paper:paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg
record_format dspace
spelling paper:paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg2023-06-08T15:09:37Z Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys Cassini ionosphere RPWS/LP Titan Carrier concentration Electron density measurement Impact ionization Ionospheric measurement Cassini Density difference Extreme Ultraviolet Ionospheric electron densities Neutral densities Radio and plasma waves RPWS/LP Titan Ionosphere electron electron density ionization ionosphere magnetic field probe Saturn Titan We report on unusual dynamics in Titan's ionosphere as a significant difference in ionospheric electron density is observed between the T118 and T119 Cassini nightside flybys. Two distinct nightside electron density peaks were present during T118, at 1,150 and 1,200 km, and the lowest density ever observed in Titan's ionosphere at altitudes 1,000–1,350 km was during T118. These flybys were quite similar in geometry, Saturn local time, neutral density, extreme ultraviolet flux, and ambient magnetic field conditions. Despite this, the Radio and Plasma Waves/Langmuir Probe measured a density difference up to a factor of 6 between the passes. The overall difference was present and similar during both inbound and outbound legs. By ruling out other factors, we suggest that an exceptionally low rate of particle impact ionization in combination with dynamics in the ionosphere is the explanation for the observations. ©2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. 2018 https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
topic Cassini
ionosphere
RPWS/LP
Titan
Carrier concentration
Electron density measurement
Impact ionization
Ionospheric measurement
Cassini
Density difference
Extreme Ultraviolet
Ionospheric electron densities
Neutral densities
Radio and plasma waves
RPWS/LP
Titan
Ionosphere
electron
electron density
ionization
ionosphere
magnetic field
probe
Saturn
Titan
spellingShingle Cassini
ionosphere
RPWS/LP
Titan
Carrier concentration
Electron density measurement
Impact ionization
Ionospheric measurement
Cassini
Density difference
Extreme Ultraviolet
Ionospheric electron densities
Neutral densities
Radio and plasma waves
RPWS/LP
Titan
Ionosphere
electron
electron density
ionization
ionosphere
magnetic field
probe
Saturn
Titan
Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys
topic_facet Cassini
ionosphere
RPWS/LP
Titan
Carrier concentration
Electron density measurement
Impact ionization
Ionospheric measurement
Cassini
Density difference
Extreme Ultraviolet
Ionospheric electron densities
Neutral densities
Radio and plasma waves
RPWS/LP
Titan
Ionosphere
electron
electron density
ionization
ionosphere
magnetic field
probe
Saturn
Titan
description We report on unusual dynamics in Titan's ionosphere as a significant difference in ionospheric electron density is observed between the T118 and T119 Cassini nightside flybys. Two distinct nightside electron density peaks were present during T118, at 1,150 and 1,200 km, and the lowest density ever observed in Titan's ionosphere at altitudes 1,000–1,350 km was during T118. These flybys were quite similar in geometry, Saturn local time, neutral density, extreme ultraviolet flux, and ambient magnetic field conditions. Despite this, the Radio and Plasma Waves/Langmuir Probe measured a density difference up to a factor of 6 between the passes. The overall difference was present and similar during both inbound and outbound legs. By ruling out other factors, we suggest that an exceptionally low rate of particle impact ionization in combination with dynamics in the ionosphere is the explanation for the observations. ©2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
title Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys
title_short Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys
title_full Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys
title_fullStr Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys
title_full_unstemmed Titan's Variable Ionosphere During the T118 and T119 Cassini Flybys
title_sort titan's variable ionosphere during the t118 and t119 cassini flybys
publishDate 2018
url https://bibliotecadigital.exactas.uba.ar/collection/paper/document/paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00948276_v45_n17_p8721_Edberg
_version_ 1768543270957219840

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