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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A combined model of pressure variations in Titan's plasma environment
AU - Achilleos, N.
AU - Arridge, C. S.
AU - Bertucci, C.
AU - Guio, P.
AU - Romanelli, N.
AU - Sergis, N.
N1 - Copyright 2014 The Authors and the American Geophysical Union.
PY - 2014/12/28
Y1 - 2014/12/28
N2 - In order to analyze varying plasma conditions upstream of Titan, we have combined a physical model of Saturn's plasma disk with a geometrical model of the oscillating current sheet. During modeled oscillation phases where Titan is farthest 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 3 as the current sheet center is approached. The predicted incident plasma flow direction deviates from the orbital plane of Titan by less than or similar to 10 degrees. These results suggest a correlation between the location of magnetic pressure maxima and the oscillation phase of the plasma sheet. Our model may be used to predict near-Titan conditions from far-field in situ measurements.
AB - In order to analyze varying plasma conditions upstream of Titan, we have combined a physical model of Saturn's plasma disk with a geometrical model of the oscillating current sheet. During modeled oscillation phases where Titan is farthest 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 3 as the current sheet center is approached. The predicted incident plasma flow direction deviates from the orbital plane of Titan by less than or similar to 10 degrees. These results suggest a correlation between the location of magnetic pressure maxima and the oscillation phase of the plasma sheet. Our model may be used to predict near-Titan conditions from far-field in situ measurements.
KW - Titan
KW - Saturn
KW - magnetosphere
KW - plasma sheet
U2 - 10.1002/2014GL061747
DO - 10.1002/2014GL061747
M3 - Journal article
VL - 41
SP - 8730
EP - 8735
JO - Geophysical Research Letters
JF - Geophysical Research Letters
SN - 0094-8276
IS - 24
ER -