Achilleos, Nick and Arridge, Chris S. and Bertucci, C. and Guio, Patrick and Romanelli, N. and Sergis, N. (2014) A combined model of pressure variations in Titan's plasma environment. Geophysical Research Letters 41 (24), pp. 8730-8735. ISSN 0094-8276.
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Abstract
In order to analyze varying plasma conditions upstream of Titan, we have combined a physical model of Saturn's plasmadisk with a geometrical model of the oscillating current sheet. During modeled oscillation phases where Titan is furthest from the current sheet, the main sources of plasma pressure in the near-Titan space are the magnetic pressure and, for disturbed conditions, the hot plasma pressure. When Titan is at the center of the sheet, the main sources are the dynamic pressure associated with Saturn's cold, subcorotating plasma and the hot plasma pressure under disturbed conditions. Total pressure at Titan (dynamic plus thermal plus magnetic) typically increases by a factor of up to about three as the current sheet center is approached. The predicted incident plasma flow direction deviates from the orbital plane of Titan by ≲10°. These results suggest a correlation between the location of magnetic pressure maxima and the oscillation phase of the plasmasheet. Our model may be used to predict near-Titan conditions from ‘far-field’ in situ measurements.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keyword(s) / Subject(s): | Titan, Saturn, Magnetosphere, Plasmasheet |
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Administrator |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Nov 2014 16:44 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 17:13 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/11024 |
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