Hartle, RE; Sittler, EC; Neubauer, FM; Johnson, RE; Smith, HT; Crary, F; McComas, DJ; ... Andre, N; + view all Hartle, RE; Sittler, EC; Neubauer, FM; Johnson, RE; Smith, HT; Crary, F; McComas, DJ; Young, DT; Coates, AJ; Simpson, D; Bolton, S; Reisenfeld, D; Szego, K; Berthelier, JJ; Rymer, A; Vilppola, J; Steinberg, JT; Andre, N; - view fewer (2006) Preliminary interpretation of Titan plasma interaction as observed by the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer: Comparisons with Voyager 1. Geophysical Research Letters , 33 (8) , Article L08201. 10.1029/2005GL024817.

Preview

PDF 2005GL024817.pdf Available under License : See the attached licence file. Download (1MB)

Abstract

The Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) instrument observed the plasma environment at Titan during the Cassini orbiter's TA encounter on October 26, 2004. Titan was in Saturn's magnetosphere during the Voyager 1 flyby and also during the TA encounter. CAPS measurements from this encounter are compared with measurements made by the Voyager 1 Plasma Science Instrument (PLS). The comparisons focus on the composition and nature of ambient and pickup ions. They lead to: A) the major ion components of Saturn's magnetosphere in the vicinity of Titan are H+, H-2(+) and O+/CH4+ ions; B) finite gyroradius effects are apparent in ambient O+ ions as the result of their absorption by Titan's extended atmosphere; C) the principal pickup ions are composed of H+, H-2(+), N+/CH2+, CH4+, and N-2(+); D) the pickup ions are in narrow energy ranges; and E) there is clear evidence of the slowing down of background ions due to pickup ion mass loading.

Download activity - last month

Export as CSVJSONXML

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as CSVJSONXML

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as CSVJSONXML

Archive Staff Only

View Item