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| Titel |
Saturn's magnetosphere interaction with Titan for T9 encounter. Pickup ion velocity distribution: 3D hybrid simulation and comparison with CAPS's observations |
| VerfasserIn |
Alexander S. Lipatov, Edward C. Jr. Sittler, Richard E. Hartle, David G. Simpson |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2010
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 12 (2010) |
| Datensatznummer |
250034745
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| Zusammenfassung |
| We discuss the results of the hybrid simulation of Titan’s environment in case of T9
encounter. The simulations are based on recent analysis of the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer
(CAPS) ion measurements during the T9 flyby through the induced magnetic tail
of Titan [1]. In our model the background ions, all pickup ions, and ionospheric
ions are considered as a particles, whereas the electrons are described as a fluid.
Inhomogeneous photoionization, electron-impact ionization and charge exchange are
included in our model. The temperature of the background electrons and pickup
electrons was also included into the generalized Ohm’s law. We also take into account
the collisions between the ions and neutrals. The current simulation shows that
mass loading by pickup ions H+, H2+, CH4+ and N2+ is stronger than in the
previous simulations. We consider three models for the upstream composition: (a) only
magnetospheric H+ ions, (b) only H+ ions, (c) only H+ and H2+ pickup ions. In our hybrid
simulations we use Chamberlain profiles for the exosphere’s components. We also
include a simple ionosphere model with M = 28 ions that were generated inside the
ionosphere. The moon is considered as weakly conducting body. Special attention will
be paid to comparing simulated pickup ion velocity distribution with CAPS’s T-9
observations.
References
[1] Sittler, et al., Saturn’s Magnetospheric Interaction with Titan as Defined by Cassini
Encounters T9 and T18: New Results, Planet. Space Sci., doi.10.1016/j.pss.2009.09.017. |
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