On Ion Drifts and Neutral Winds in Titan’s Thermosphere

• Saturn’s largest moon Titan hosts an atmosphere with complex organic chemistry initiated partly in the ionosphere. The nightside chemistry may be influenced by the ion transport from the dayside ionosphere. In turn, ion transport (ion drifts) may be affected by the neutral winds, which cannot be measured directly by Cassini. In this study we derive the ion drifts along the spacecraft trajectories based on analysis of in-situ measurements of electron and ion fluxes, mean masses of positive and negative ions and the magnetic field. Data from Titan flybys TA to T100 (Oct 2005 - Apr 2014) is included in this study, 55 flybys are below 1400 km and 48 are below 1200 km altitude. Based on the measurements, three regions of the ionosphere were defined by altitude: 1) above 1600 km, ions are ?×?-drifting (frozen into the magnetic field), 2) 1100-1600 km, dynamo-region, ions drift partly in opposite directions (perpendicular to B) and 3) below 1100 km (upper limit depends on convection electric field strength), ions are following neutrals.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Fusion, plasma och rymdfysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Titan

Ionosphere Drifts

Ion Drifts

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)