136 research outputs found
Hot oxygen atoms in the upper atmospheres of Venus and Mars
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94642/1/grl3908.pd
Comment on âIonospheric evidence of hot oxygen in the upper atmosphere of Venusâ
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95022/1/grl6627.pd
All Ionospheres are not Alike: Reports from other Planets
Our understanding of planetary ionospheres made some progress during the last four years. Most of this progress was due to new and/or improved theoretical models, although some new data were also obtained by direct and remote sensing observations. The very basic processes such as ionization, chemical transformations and diffusive as well as convective transports are analogous in all ionospheres; the major differences are the result of factors such as different neutral atmospheres, intrinsic magnetic field strength, distance from the Sun, etc. Improving our understanding of any of the ionospheres in our solar system helps in elucidating the controlling physical and chemical processes in all of them. New measurements are needed to provide new impetus, as well as guidance, in advancing our understanding and we look forward to such information in the years ahead
Energetics of the dayside ionosphere of Venus
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94981/1/grl6860.pd
3âD global MHD model prediction for the first close flyby of Titan by Cassini
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95615/1/grl18965.pd
Chandra Observation of an X-ray Flare at Saturn: Evidence for Direct Solar Control on Saturn's Disk X-ray Emissions
Saturn was observed by Chandra ACIS-S on 20 and 26-27 January 2004 for one
full Saturn rotation (10.7 hr) at each epoch. We report here the first
observation of an X-ray flare from Saturn's non-auroral (low-latitude) disk,
which is seen in direct response to an M6-class flare emanating from a sunspot
that was clearly visible from both Saturn and Earth. Saturn's disk X-ray
emissions are found to be variable on time scales of hours to weeks to months,
and correlated with solar F10.7 cm flux. Unlike Jupiter, X-rays from Saturn's
polar (auroral) region have characteristics similar to those from its disk.
This report, combined with earlier studies, establishes that disk X-ray
emissions of the giant planets Saturn and Jupiter are directly regulated by
processes happening on the Sun. We suggest that these emissions could be
monitored to study X-ray flaring from solar active regions when they are on the
far side and not visible to Near-Earth space weather satellites.Comment: Total 12 pages including 4 figure
The ion-induced charge-exchange X-ray emission of the Jovian Auroras: Magnetospheric or solar wind origin?
A new and more comprehensive model of charge-exchange induced X-ray emission,
due to ions precipitating into the Jovian atmosphere near the poles, has been
used to analyze spectral observations made by the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
The model includes for the first time carbon ions, in addition to the oxygen
and sulfur ions previously considered, in order to account for possible ion
origins from both the solar wind and the Jovian magnetosphere. By comparing the
model spectra with newly reprocessed Chandra observations, we conclude that
carbon ion emission provides a negligible contribution, suggesting that solar
wind ions are not responsible for the observed polar X-rays. In addition,
results of the model fits to observations support the previously estimated
seeding kinetic energies of the precipitating ions (~0.7-2 MeV/u), but infer a
different relative sulfur to oxygen abundance ratio for these Chandra
observations.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, submitted to ApJ Lette
The Ion Composition of Saturn's Equatorial Ionosphere as Observed by Cassini
An edited version of this paper was published by AGU. Copyright 2018 American Geophysical Union.The Cassini Orbiter made the first in situ measurements of the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Saturn in 2017. The Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) found molecular hydrogen and helium as well as minor species including water, methane, ammonia, and organics. INMS ion mode measurements of light ion species (H+, H2+, H3+, and He+) and Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument measurements of electron densities are presented. A photochemical analysis of the INMS and Radio and Plasma Wave Science data indicates that the major ion species near the ionospheric peak must be heavy and molecular with a short chemical lifetime. A quantitative explanation of measured H+ and H3+ densities requires that they chemically react with one or more heavy neutral molecular species that have mixing ratios of about 100 ppm
Solar cycle modulation of Titan's ionosphere
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jgra.50463/abstractDuring the six Cassini Titan flybys T83âT88 (May 2012 to November 2012) the electron density in the ionospheric peak region, as measured by the radio and plasma wave science instrument/Langmuir probe, has increased significantly, by 15â30%, compared to previous average. These measurements suggest that a longâterm change has occurred in the ionosphere of Titan, likely caused by the rise to the new solar maximum with increased EUV fluxes. We compare measurements from TA, TB, and T5, from the declining phase of solar cycle 23 to the recent T83âT88 measurements during cycle 24, since the solar irradiances from those two intervals are comparable. The peak electron densities normalized to a common solar zenith angle Nnorm from those two groups of flybys are comparable but increased compared to the solar minimum flybys (T16âT71). The integrated solar irradiance over the wavelengths 1â80nm, i.e., the solar energy flux, Fe, correlates well with the observed ionospheric peak density values. Chapman layer theory predicts that inline image, with k=0.5. We find observationally that the exponent k=0.54±0.18. Hence, the observations are in good agreement with theory despite the fact that many assumptions in Chapman theory are violated. This is also in good agreement with a similar study by Girazian and Withers (2013) on the ionosphere of Mars. We use this power law to estimate the peak electron density at the subsolar point of Titan during solar maximum conditions and find it to be about 6500cmâ3, i.e., 85â160% more than has been measured during the entire Cassini mission
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