eprintid: 113947 rev_number: 51 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/00/11/39/47 datestamp: 2010-10-21 20:06:33 lastmod: 2021-10-09 23:06:37 status_changed: 2012-08-29 14:34:39 type: article metadata_visibility: show item_issues_count: 0 creators_name: Galand, M creators_name: Yelle, RV creators_name: Coates, AJ creators_name: Backes, H creators_name: Wahlund, JE title: Electron temperature of Titan's sunlit ionosphere ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B04 divisions: C06 divisions: F63 keywords: Photoionization cross-sections, Upper-atmosphere, Plasma, Photoelectron, Model, Rates note: Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union abstract: Titan's upper atmosphere is ionized by solar radiation and particle bombardment from Saturn's magnetosphere. The induced ionosphere plays a key role in the coupling of Titan's atmosphere with the Kronian environment. It also provides unique signatures for identifying energy sources upon Titan's upper atmosphere. Here we focus on observations from the first, close flyby by the Cassini spacecraft and assess the ionization and electron heating sources in Titan's sunlit ionosphere. We compare CAPS electron spectra with spectra produced by an electron transport model based on the INMS neutral densities and a MHD interaction model. In addition, we compare RPWS electron temperature against the models. The important terms in the electron energy equation include loss through excitation of vibrational states of N-2 and CH4, Coulomb collisions with suprathermal electrons, and thermal conduction. Our analysis highlights the important role of the magnetic field line configuration for aeronomic studies at Titan. date: 2006-11-01 publisher: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027488 vfaculties: VMPS oa_status: green language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green article_type_text: Article verified: verified_batch elements_source: Web of Science elements_id: 190320 doi: 10.1029/2006GL027488 language_elements: EN lyricists_name: Coates, Andrew lyricists_id: AJCOA20 full_text_status: public publication: Geophysical Research Letters volume: 33 number: 21 article_number: L21101 issn: 0094-8276 citation: Galand, M; Yelle, RV; Coates, AJ; Backes, H; Wahlund, JE; (2006) Electron temperature of Titan's sunlit ionosphere. Geophysical Research Letters , 33 (21) , Article L21101. 10.1029/2006GL027488 <https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027488>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/113947/1/2006GL027488.pdf