Re-Analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP Data in Titan's Ionosphere: 1. Detection of Several Electron PopulationsShow others and affiliations
2021 (English)In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics, ISSN 2169-9380, E-ISSN 2169-9402, Vol. 126, no 8, article id e2020JA028412Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Current models of Titan's ionosphere have difficulties in explaining the observed electron density and/or temperature. In order to get new insights, we re-analyzed the data taken in the ionosphere of Titan by the Cassini Langmuir probe (LP), part of the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument. This is the first of two papers that present the new analysis method (current paper) and statistics on the whole data set. We suggest that between two and four electron populations are necessary to fit the data. Each population is defined by a potential, an electron density and an electron temperature and is easily visualized by a distinct peak in the second derivative of the electron current, which is physically related to the electron energy distribution function (Druyvesteyn method). The detected populations vary with solar illumination and altitude. We suggest that the four electron populations are due to photo-ionization, magnetospheric particles, dusty plasma and electron emission from the probe boom, respectively.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2021. Vol. 126, no 8, article id e2020JA028412
Keywords [en]
dusty plasma, electron populations, electron temperature, Langmuir probe, RPWS, Titan ionosphere
National Category
Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-456142DOI: 10.1029/2020JA028412ISI: 000691018000024OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-456142DiVA, id: diva2:1603477
Funder
Swedish National Space BoardSwedish National Space Board, 135/13Swedish Research Council, 621-2013-4191EU, European Research Council, 6368292021-10-152021-10-152024-01-15Bibliographically approved