The global precipitation of magnetospheric electrons into Titan’s upper atmosphere

Snowden, D.; Yelle, R. V.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2014.08.027

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, gas kinetic studies [ Tucker and Johnson , ; Tucker et al ., ] demonstrate that the slow hydrodynamic model proposed by Strobel [] is incapable of collisionally driving CH 4 escape at the large rates inferred from diffusion models [ Strobel , ; Yelle et al ., ]. Any escape of nitrogen and methane occurring at rates orders of magnitude larger than the Jeans rate is likely induced by nonthermal energy sources [ De La Haye et al ., ; Bell et al ., ; Waite et al ., ; Snowden and Yelle , ]. In addition, it was found that photochemical escape rates, which were estimated to be ~1.3 × 10 26 s −1 and 0.86 × 10 26 s −1 for N and C, respectively [ De La Haye et al ., ], were also insignificant in comparison with the large escape fluxes inferred from INMS observations.…”

Section: Escape From Comets Pluto Titan Mars and Venusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric escape from unmagnetized bodies

Brain

Bagenal

et al. 2016

J. Geophys. Res. Planets

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The upper atmospheres of unmagnetized solar system bodies interact more directly with their local plasma environment than their counterparts on magnetized bodies such as Earth. One consequence of this interaction is that atmospheric particles can gain energy from the flowing plasma, as well as solar photons, and escape to space. Escape proceeds through a number of different mechanisms that can remove neutral particles (Jeans escape, photochemical escape, and sputtering) and mechanisms that can remove ions (ion pickup, magnetic shear and tension‐related escape, and pressure gradients). Here we discuss the plasma interactions and escape processes and rates from five solar system objects spanning 3 orders of magnitude in size: comets, Pluto, Titan, Mars, and Venus. We describe similarities and differences in escape for the different objects and provide four open questions that should be addressed in the coming years.

show abstract

Section: Escape From Comets Pluto Titan Mars and Venusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric escape from unmagnetized bodies

Brain

Bagenal

et al. 2016

J. Geophys. Res. Planets

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the upper atmosphere, the Cassini mission revealed the high variability of the mesosphere (in terms of temperature and composition) with no correlation with solar radiation nor properties of Saturn's magnetic field. Wave dissipation may be a significant source of heating or cooling at those altitudes [252]. The extended missions (Equinox and Solstice) also allowed better characterization of Titan's surface nature and dynamics, and internal structure.…”

Section: Context and Summary Of A New Mission's Science Goals And Conceptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science goals and new mission concepts for future exploration of Titan’s atmosphere, geology and habitability: titan POlar scout/orbitEr and in situ lake lander and DrONe explorer (POSEIDON)

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In response to ESA’s “Voyage 2050” announcement of opportunity, we propose an ambitious L-class mission to explore one of the most exciting bodies in the Solar System, Saturn’s largest moon Titan. Titan, a “world with two oceans”, is an organic-rich body with interior-surface-atmosphere interactions that are comparable in complexity to the Earth. Titan is also one of the few places in the Solar System with habitability potential. Titan’s remarkable nature was only partly revealed by the Cassini-Huygens mission and still holds mysteries requiring a complete exploration using a variety of vehicles and instruments. The proposed mission concept POSEIDON (Titan POlar Scout/orbitEr and In situ lake lander DrONe explorer) would perform joint orbital and in situ investigations of Titan. It is designed to build on and exceed the scope and scientific/technological accomplishments of Cassini-Huygens, exploring Titan in ways that were not previously possible, in particular through full close-up and in situ coverage over long periods of time. In the proposed mission architecture, POSEIDON consists of two major elements: a spacecraft with a large set of instruments that would orbit Titan, preferably in a low-eccentricity polar orbit, and a suite of in situ investigation components, i.e. a lake lander, a “heavy” drone (possibly amphibious) and/or a fleet of mini-drones, dedicated to the exploration of the polar regions. The ideal arrival time at Titan would be slightly before the next northern Spring equinox (2039), as equinoxes are the most active periods to monitor still largely unknown atmospheric and surface seasonal changes. The exploration of Titan’s northern latitudes with an orbiter and in situ element(s) would be highly complementary in terms of timing (with possible mission timing overlap), locations, and science goals with the upcoming NASA New Frontiers Dragonfly mission that will provide in situ exploration of Titan’s equatorial regions, in the mid-2030s.

show abstract

“…However, the most important interaction of Titan's upper atmosphere is with the energetic protons, heavy ions and electrons from Saturn's magnetosphere, which results in an energy input of the order of 10 8 -10 9 W (Table 1). It creates additional features known as electron bite-outs (Snowden & Yelle 2014).…”

Section: Space Weather At the Saturnian Moonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Planetary space weather: scientific aspects and future perspectives

Plainaki

Lilensten

Radioti

et al. 2016

J. Space Weather Space Clim.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this paper, we review the scientific aspects of planetary space weather at different regions of our Solar System, performing a comparative planetology analysis that includes a direct reference to the circum-terrestrial case. Through an interdisciplinary analysis of existing results based both on observational data and theoretical models, we review the nature of the interactions between the environment of a Solar System body other than the Earth and the impinging plasma/radiation, and we offer some considerations related to the planning of future space observations. We highlight the importance of such comparative studies for data interpretations in the context of future space missions (e.g. ESA JUICE; ESA/JAXA BEPI COLOMBO). Moreover, we discuss how the study of planetary space weather can provide feedback for better understanding the traditional circumterrestrial space weather. Finally, a strategy for future global investigations related to this thematic is proposed.

show abstract

The global precipitation of magnetospheric electrons into Titan’s upper atmosphere

Cited by 12 publications

References 64 publications

Atmospheric escape from unmagnetized bodies

Atmospheric escape from unmagnetized bodies

Science goals and new mission concepts for future exploration of Titan’s atmosphere, geology and habitability: titan POlar scout/orbitEr and in situ lake lander and DrONe explorer (POSEIDON)

Planetary space weather: scientific aspects and future perspectives

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About