Dayside ionosphere of Titan: Impact on calculated plasma densities due to variations in the model parameters

Mukundan, Vrinda; Bhardwaj, Anil

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.07.022

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Several models have been developed to understand the processes at work in Titan's ionosphere (e.g., Galand et al., 2014 and references therein). Nevertheless, model results either predict too cold electrons (<0.02 eV; <200 K) at 900 km (Mukundan & Bhardwaj, 2018; Richard et al., 2011) or an overestimated electron density by a factor of two (Vigren et al., 2013, 2016). The addition of the negative ions to a photoionization model has been shown to decrease the discrepancy with the measurements (Shebanits, Vigren, Wahlund, Edberg, et al., 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re‐Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 1. Detection of Several Electron Populations

et al. 2021

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re‐Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 1. Detection of Several Electron Populations

et al. 2021

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“…Electron density and temperature were deduced from these measurements (Ågren et al., 2009; Edberg et al., 2010, 2013b, 2015; Wahlund et al., 2005). However, electron temperature measurements are not well reproduced by models of the ionosphere of Titan below 1,200 km: model results give electrons too cold by a factor of 2–3 (Galand et al., 2014; Mukundan & Bhardwaj, 2018; Richard et al., 2011; Shebanits, Vigren, Wahlund, Edberg, et al., 2017; Vigren et al., 2013, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re‐Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 2. Statistics on 57 Flybys

et al. 2021

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The ionosphere of Titan hosts a complex ion chemistry leading to the formation of organic dust below 1,200 km. Current models cannot fully explain the observed electron temperature in this dusty environment. To achieve new insight, we have re‐analyzed the data taken in the ionosphere of Titan by the Cassini Langmuir probe (LP), part of the Radio and Plasma Wave Science package. A first paper (Chatain et al., 2021) introduces the new analysis method and discusses the identification of four electron populations produced by different ionization mechanisms. In this second paper, we present a statistical study of the whole LP dataset below 1,200 km which gives clues on the origin of the four populations. One small population is attributed to photo‐ or secondary electrons emitted from the surface of the probe boom. A second population is systematically observed, at a constant density (∼500 cm−3), and is attributed to background thermalized electrons from the ionization process of precipitating particles from the surrounding magnetosphere. The two last populations increase in density with pressure, solar illumination and Extreme ultraviolet flux. The third population is observed with varying densities at all altitudes and solar zenith angles (SZA) except on the far nightside (SZA > ∼140°), with a maximum density of 2,700 cm−3. It is therefore certainly related to the photo‐ionization of the atmospheric molecules. Finally, a fourth population detected only on the dayside and below 1,200 km reaching up to 2000 cm−3 could be photo‐ or thermo‐emitted from dust grains.

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“…Electron density and temperature were deduced from these measurements (Ågren et al, 2009;Edberg et al, 2010Edberg et al, , 2013Edberg et al, , 2015Wahlund et al, 2005). However, electron temperature measurements are not well reproduced by models of the ionosphere of Titan below 1200 km: model results give electrons too cold by a factor of 2-3 (Galand et al, 2014;Mukundan & Bhardwaj, 2018;Richard et al, 2011;Shebanits et al, 2017a;Vigren et al, 2013Vigren et al, , 2016.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP data in Titan's ionosphere. Part II: statistics on 57 flybys.

Chatain

Wahlund

Shebanits

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Dayside ionosphere of Titan: Impact on calculated plasma densities due to variations in the model parameters

Cited by 11 publications

References 48 publications

Re‐Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 1. Detection of Several Electron Populations

Re‐Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 1. Detection of Several Electron Populations

Re‐Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 2. Statistics on 57 Flybys

Re-analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP data in Titan's ionosphere. Part II: statistics on 57 flybys.

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