Observations of mixed warm and cold electrons with RPC-MIP at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Abstract

International audiencePredicted by numerical simulations, the Mutual Impedance Probe (RPC-MIP) onboard the ESA's Rosetta spacecraft observed signatures of a mixed warm and cold electron population in the cometary plasma of 67P/Churuymov-Gerasimenko. Thanks to the high cadence measurements of the RPC-MIP instrument, we illustrate the dynamics of the cold and warm electron populations. We confirm the observations of the cold component provided by the Langmuir Probes (RPC-LAP). The electron density and the electron temperature are consistent with RPC-LAP