Publications
31 results found
Zhang Z, Desai R, Shebanits O, et al., 2023, Cassini's floating potential in Titan's ionosphere: 3-D particle-in-cell simulations, URSI GASS 2023, Publisher: IEEE, Pages: 1-4
Accurate determination of Cassini’s spacecraft potential in Titan’s ionosphere is important for interpreting measurements by its low energy plasma instruments. Estimates of the floating potential varied significantly, however, between the various different plasma instruments. In this study we utilize 3-D particle-in-cell simulations to understand the key features of Cassini’s plasma interaction in Titan’s ionosphere. The spacecraft is observed to charge to negative potentials for all scenarios considered, and close agreement is found between the current onto the simulated Langmuir Probe and that observed in Titan’s ionosphere. These simulations are therefore shown to provide a viable technique for modeling spacecraft interacting with Titan’s dusty ionosphere.
Desai R, Zhang Z, 2023, Simulating secondary electron and ion emission from the Cassini spacecraft in Saturn's ionosphere, The Planetary Science Journal, Vol: 4, ISSN: 2632-3338
The Cassini spacecraft's Grand Finale flybys through Saturn's ionosphere provided unprecedented insight into the composition and dynamics of the gas giant's upper atmosphere and a novel and complex spacecraft-plasma interaction. In this article, we further study Cassini's interaction with Saturn's ionosphere using three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulations. We focus on understanding how electrons and ions, emitted from spacecraft surfaces due to the high-velocity impact of atmospheric water molecules, could have affected the spacecraft potential and low-energy plasma measurements. The simulations show emitted electrons extend upstream along the magnetic field and, for sufficiently high emission rates, charge the spacecraft to positive potentials. The lack of accurate emission rates and characteristics, however, makes differentiation between the prominence of secondary electron emission and ionospheric charged dust populations, which induce similar charging effects, difficult for Cassini. These results provide further context for Cassini's final measurements and highlight the need for future laboratory studies to support high-velocity flyby missions through planetary and cometary ionospheres.
Desai R, Eastwood J, Glauert S, et al., 2023, Resolving Multiscale Magnetospheric and Radiation Belt Dynamics using Global MHD, Test Particle and Fokker Planck Simulations
<jats:p>The global magnetosphere represents an intricate and multi-scale system with dynamics occurring across scales ranging from metres to miles and milli-seconds to days. This represents a formidable challenge to understand, and differing plasma theories are typically applied to model the large-scale electromagnetic fields and the dynamics of the Van Allen radiation belts. This discretisation of plasma regimes, however, breaks down during extreme conditions when the magnetosphere becomes highly distorted and energetic particle dynamics vary rapidly across sub-drift timescales. To self-consistently model both short and long timescales, we combine global MHD and particle simulations with Fokker-Planck simulations to demonstrate how this presents a realistic and also necessary method to capture magnetospheric and radiation belt dynamics during severe geomagnetic storms. The global MHD simulations capture the large-scale modulations to the global magnetic and electric fields and the integrated particle simulations reveal intense acceleration processes during the compression phase and subsequent injections through the magnetotail. At relativistic energies, loss processes at low L shells are limited and the Fokker-Planck model reveals how newly accelerated radiation belt distributions evolve and persist over extended time periods. Modelling this flow of energy from the solar wind through to ring current and radiation belt populations, across both short and long time-scales, requires detailed observational constraints and we discuss how upcoming space missions will help us to holistically constrain energy transfers through our puzzling magnetosphere.&#160;</jats:p>
Kelly H, Archer M, Eggington J, et al., 2023, Formation and identification of Kelvin-Helmholtz generated vortices at Earths magnetopause: Insight from adapting hydrodynamic techniques for MHD
<jats:p>The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI) plays a significant role in the viscous-like mass, momentum, and energy transfer from the solar wind into the magnetosphere through both vortical and wave dynamics. To confidently study and compare the effects of these dynamics, we must formally define a vortex. Previously, a definition did not exist for the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) regime. Consequently, we have developed a novel vortex definition (the `&#955;MHD definition&#8217;) for MHD flows. This is based on adapting well-used hydrodynamic techniques (the &#955;2 family of methods) that defines a vortex as a local minimum in an adapted pressure field. We derive the MHD suitable adapted pressure field from the ideal MHD Cauchy-Momentum equation, and find that it is composed of four components. The first three components represent the hydrodynamic properties of rotational momentum flow, density inhomogeneity, and fluid compressibility respectively. The final component makes the &#955;MHD definition unique from hydrodynamics as it represents the rotational component of the J&#215;B Lorentz force which is found using a Helmholtz decomposition. We use the Gorgon global 3-Dimensional MHD code to validate the &#955;MHD vortex definition within a northward IMF simulation run exhibiting KHI-driven waves at the magnetopause flanks. Comparison of &#955;MHD with existing hydrodynamic definitions shows good correlations and skill scores, particularly with the more advanced methods. Our analysis also reveals that the rotational momentum flow term dominates at the magnetopause. The other components provide typically small corrections to this. We have found that at the magnetopause, compressibility generally acts in opposition to the existence of a pressure minimum and thus a vortex. Alternatively, inhomogeneity and the rotational component of the Lorentz force generally act to support the pressure minimum. We explore
Sibeck DGG, Murphy KRR, Porter FS, et al., 2023, Quantifying the global solar wind-magnetosphere interaction with the Solar-Terrestrial Observer for the Response of the Magnetosphere (STORM) mission concept, FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES, Vol: 10, ISSN: 2296-987X
Koehn G, Desai R, Davies E, et al., 2022, Successive interacting coronal mass ejections: How to create a perfect storm?, The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics, Vol: 941, ISSN: 0004-637X
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the largest type of eruptions on the Sun and the main driver of severe space weather at the Earth. In this study, we implement a force-free spheromak CME description within 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations to parametrically evaluate successive interacting CMEs within a representative heliosphere. We explore CME–CME interactions for a range of orientations, launch time variations, and CME handedness and quantify their geo-effectiveness via the primary solar wind variables and empirical measures of the disturbance storm time index and subsolar magnetopause standoff distance. We show how the interaction of two moderate CMEs between the Sun and the Earth can translate into extreme conditions at the Earth and how CME–CME interactions at different radial distances can maximize different solar wind variables that induce different geophysical impacts. In particular, we demonstrate how the orientation and handedness of a given CME can have a significant impact on the conservation and loss of magnetic flux, and consequently Bz, due to magnetic reconnection with the interplanetary magnetic field. This study thus implicates the identification of CME chirality in the solar corona as an early diagnostic for forecasting geomagnetic storms involving multiple CMEs.
Roussos E, Allanson O, Andre N, et al., 2022, The in-situ exploration of Jupiter's radiation belts, Experimental Astronomy: an international journal on astronomical instrumentation and data analysis, Vol: 54, Pages: 745-789, ISSN: 0922-6435
Jupiter has the most complex and energetic radiation belts in our Solar System and one of the most challenging space environments to measure and characterize in-depth. Their hazardous environment is also a reason why so many spacecraft avoid flying directly through their most intense regions, thus explaining how Jupiter’s radiation belts have kept many of their secrets so well hidden, despite having been studied for decades. In this paper we argue why these secrets are worth unveiling. Jupiter’s radiation belts and the vast magnetosphere that encloses them constitute an unprecedented physical laboratory, suitable for interdisciplinary and novel scientific investigations: from studying fundamental high energy plasma physics processes which operate throughout the Universe, such as adiabatic charged particle acceleration and nonlinear wave-particle interactions, to exploiting the astrobiological consequences of energetic particle radiation. The in-situ exploration of the uninviting environment of Jupiter’s radiation belts presents us with many challenges in mission design, science planning, instrumentation, and technology. We address these challenges by reviewing the different options that exist for direct and indirect observations of this unique system. We stress the need for new instruments, the value of synergistic Earth and Jupiter-based remote sensing and in-situ investigations, and the vital importance of multi-spacecraft in-situ measurements. While simultaneous, multi-point in-situ observations have long become the standard for exploring electromagnetic interactions in the inner Solar System, they have never taken place at Jupiter or any strongly magnetized planet besides Earth. We conclude that a dedicated multi-spacecraft mission to Jupiter is an essential and obvious way forward for exploring the planet’s radiation belts. Besides guaranteeing numerous discoveries and huge leaps in our understanding of radiation belt systems, such a mis
Corti C, Whitman K, Desai R, et al., 2022, Galactic Cosmic Rays and Solar Energetic Particles in Cis-Lunar Space: Need for contextual energetic particle measurements at Earth and supporting distributed observations, White Paper submitted to Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics) 2024-2033
Eggington J, Coxon J, Shore R, et al., 2022, Response timescales of the magnetotail current sheet during a geomagnetic storm: global MHD simulations, Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, Vol: 9, Pages: 1-17, ISSN: 2296-987X
The response of the Earth’s magnetotail current sheet to the external solar wind driver is highly time-dependent and asymmetric. For example, the current sheet twists in response to variations in the By component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and is hinged by the dipole tilt. Understanding the timescales over which these asymmetries manifest is of particular importance during geomagnetic storms when the dynamics of the tail control substorm activity. To investigate this, we use the Gorgon MHD model to simulate a geomagnetic storm which commenced on 3 May 2014, and was host to multiple By and Bz reversals and a prolonged period of southward IMF driving. We find that the twisting of the current sheet is well-correlated to IMF By throughout the event, with the angle of rotation increasing linearly with downtail distance and being morepronounced when the tail contains less open flux. During periods of southward IMF the twisting of the central current sheet responds most strongly at a timelag of ∼ 100 min for distances beyond 20 RE, consistent with the 1-2 hr convection timescale identified in the open flux content. Under predominantly northward IMF the response of the twisting is bimodal, with the strongest correlations between 15-40 RE downtail being at a shorter timescale of ∼ 30 min consistent with that estimated for induced By due to wave propagation, compared to a longer timescale of ∼ 3 hr further downtail again attributed to convection. This indicates that asymmetries in the magnetotail communicated by IMF By are influenced mostly by global convection during strong solar wind driving, but that more prompt induced By effects can dominate in the near-Earth tail and during periods of weaker driving. These results provide new insight into the characteristic timescales of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.
Eggington J, Desai R, Mejnertsen L, et al., 2022, Time-varying magnetopause reconnection during sudden commencement: global MHD simulations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 127, ISSN: 2169-9380
In response to a solar wind dynamic pressure enhancement, the compression of the magnetosphere generates strong ionospheric signatures and a sharp variation in the ground magnetic field, termed sudden commencement (SC). Whilst such compressions have also been associated with a contraction of the ionospheric polar cap due to the triggering of reconnection in the magnetotail, the effect of any changes in dayside reconnection is less clear and is a key component in fully understanding the system response. In this study we explore the time-dependent nature of dayside coupling during SC by performing global simulations using the Gorgon MHD code, and impact the magnetosphere with a series of interplanetary shocks with different parameters. We identify the location and evolu tion of the reconnection region in each case as the shock propagates through the magnetosphere, finding strong enhancement in the dayside reconnection rate and prompt expansion of the dayside polar cap prior to the eventual triggering of tail reconnection. This effect pervades for a variety of IMF orientations, and the reconnection rate is most enhanced for events with higher dynamic pressure. We explain this by repeating the simulations with a large explicit resistivity, showing that compression of the magnetosheath plasma near the propagating shock front allows for reconnection of much greater intensity and at different locations on the dayside magnetopause than during typical solar wind conditions. The results indicate that the dynamic behaviour of dayside coupling may render steady models of reconnection inaccurate during the onset of a severe space weather event.
Desai R, Eastwood J, Eggington J, et al., 2022, Magnetospheric compressions, magnetopause shadowing and the last-closed-drift-shell
<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;Fluxes in the outer radiation belt can vary by orders of magnitude in response to solar wind driving conditions. Magnetopause shadowing, where electron and proton drift paths intersect the magnetopause boundary, is a fundamental loss process which operates on sub-day timescales and can result in rapid loss across the outer radiation belt. Accurate characterisation of this is therefore required to fully account for outer radiation belt dynamics and to avoid unrealistic fluxes impacting long-term forecasts. In this paper we utilise particle simulations of the radiation belts integrated within evolving global MHD simulations, to provide high-resolution high-fidelity simulations of the phenomenon of magnetopause shadowing. We model a variety of magnetopause compression scenarios corresponding to extreme cases of interplanetary shock impacts, and gradual increases in solar wind dynamic pressure. We thus constrain how time-dependent topological variation of the magnetospheric fields results in a complex interplay of open and closed particle drift paths, and examine the role of the electric field in modulating escaping particles trajectories as well as corresponding prompt injections into the inner magnetosphere.&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p>
Desai R, Eastwood J, Horne R, et al., 2021, Drift orbit bifurcations and cross-field transport in the outer radiation belt: global MHD and integrated test-particle simulations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 126, Pages: 1-14, ISSN: 2169-9380
Energetic particle fluxes in the outer magnetosphere present a significant challenge to modellingefforts as they can vary by orders of magnitude in response to solar wind driving conditions. In thisarticle, we demonstrate the ability to propagate test particles through global MHD simulations to ahigh level of precision and use this to map the cross-field radial transport associated with relativisticelectrons undergoing drift orbit bifurcations (DOBs). The simulations predict DOBs primarily occurwithin an Earth radius of the magnetopause loss cone and appears significantly different for southwardand northward interplanetary magnetic field orientations. The changes to the second invariant areshown to manifest as a dropout in particle fluxes with pitch angles close to 90◦and indicate DOBsare a cause of butterfly pitch angle distributions within the night-time sector. The convective electricfield, not included in previous DOB studies, is found to have a significant effect on the resultant longterm transport, and losses to the magnetopause and atmosphere are identified as a potential methodfor incorporating DOBs within Fokker-Planck transport models.
Desai RT, Freeman M, Eastwood J, et al., 2021, Interplanetary shock-induced magnetopause motion: Comparison between theory and global magnetohydrodynamic simulations, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol: 48, Pages: 1-11, ISSN: 0094-8276
The magnetopause marks the outer edge of the Earth’s magnetosphere and a distinct boundary between solar wind and magnetospheric plasma populations. In this letter, we use global magneto-hydrodynamic simulations to examine the response of the terrestrial magnetopause to fast-forward interplanetary shocks of various strengths and compare to theoretical predictions. The theory and simulations indicate the magnetopause response can be characterised by three distinct phases; an initial acceleration as inertial forces are overcome, a rapid compressive phase comprising the majority of the distance travelled, and large-scale damped oscillations with amplitudes of the order of an Earth radius. The two approaches agree in predicting subsolar magnetopause oscillations with frequencies2–13 mHz but the simulations notably predict larger amplitudes and weaker damping rates. This phenomenon is of high relevance to space weather forecasting and provides a possible explanation for magnetopause oscillations observed following the large interplanetary shocks of August 1972 and March 1991.
Yao Z, Dunn WR, Woodfield EE, et al., 2021, Revealing the source of Jupiter's x-ray auroral flares, SCIENCE ADVANCES, Vol: 7, ISSN: 2375-2548
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Zhang Z, Desai R, Miyake Y, et al., 2021, Particle-in-cell simulations of the Cassini spacecraft’s interaction with Saturn’s ionosphere during the Grand Finale, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol: 504, Pages: 964-973, ISSN: 0035-8711
A surprising and unexpected phenomenon observed during Cassini’s Grand Finale was the spacecraft charging to positive potentials in Saturn’s ionosphere. Here, the ionospheric plasma was depleted of free electrons with negatively charged ions and dust accumulating up to over 95 per cent of the negative charge density. To further understand the spacecraft–plasma interaction, we perform a three-dimensional Particle-In-Cell study of a model Cassini spacecraft immersed in plasma representative of Saturn’s ionosphere. The simulations reveal complex interaction features such as electron wings and a highly structured wake containing spacecraft-scale vortices. The results show how a large negative ion concentration combined with a large negative to positive ion mass ratio is able to drive the spacecraft to the observed positive potentials. Despite the high electron depletions, the electron properties are found as a significant controlling factor for the spacecraft potential together with the magnetic field orientation which induces a potential gradient directed across Cassini’s asymmetric body. This study reveals the global spacecraft interaction experienced by Cassini during the Grand Finale and how this is influenced by the unexpected negative ion and dust populations.
Desai RT, Zhang Z, Wu X, et al., 2021, Photodetachment and Test-particle Simulation Constraints on Negative Ions in Solar System Plasmas, The Planetary Science Journal, Vol: 2, Pages: 99-99
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Negative ions have been detected in abundance in recent years by spacecraft across the solar system. These detections were, however, made by instruments not designed for this purpose and, as such, significant uncertainties remain regarding the prevalence of these unexpected plasma components. In this article, the phenomenon of photodetachment is examined, and experimentally and theoretically derived cross-sections are used to calculate photodetachment rates for a range of atomic and molecular negative ions subjected to the solar photon spectrum. These rates are applied to negative ions outflowing from Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Dione, and Rhea and their trajectories are traced to constrain source production rates and the extent to which negative ions are able to pervade the surrounding space environments. Predictions are also made for further negative ion populations in the outer solar system with Triton used as an illustrative example. This study demonstrates how, at increased heliocentric distances, negative ions can form stable ambient plasma populations and can be exploited by future missions to the outer solar system.</jats:p>
Desai R, Zhang H, Davies E, et al., 2020, Three dimensional simulations of solar wind preconditioning and the 23 July 2012 Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection, Solar Physics: a journal for solar and solar-stellar research and the study of solar terrestrial physics, Vol: 295, Pages: 1-14, ISSN: 0038-0938
Predicting the large-scale eruptions from the solar corona and theirpropagation through interplanetary space remains an outstanding challenge in solar- and helio-physics research. In this article, we describe three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the inner heliosphere leading up to and including the extreme interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) of 23 July 2012, developed using the code PLUTO. The simulations are driven using the output of coronal models for Carrington rotations 2125 and 2126 and, given the uncertainties in the initial conditions, are able to reproduce an event of comparable magnitude to the 23 July ICME, with similar velocity and densityprofi les at 1 au. The launch-time of this event is then varied with regards to an initial 19 July ICME and the effects of solar wind preconditioning are found to be signi ficant for an event of this magnitude and to decrease over a time-window consistent with the ballistic re filling of the depleted heliospheric sector. These results indicate that the 23 July ICME was mostly unaffected by events prior, but would have travelled even faster had it erupted closer in time to the 19 July event where it would have experienced even lower drag forces. We discuss this systematic study of solar wind preconditioning in the context of space weatherforecasting.
Mihailescu AT, Desai R, Shebanits O, et al., 2020, Spatial variations of low mass negative ions in Titan's upper atmosphere, The Planetary Science Journal, Vol: 1, Pages: 1-8, ISSN: 2632-3338
Observations with Cassini’s Electron Spectrometer discovered negative ions in Titan’s ionosphere,at altitudes between 1400 and 950 km. Within the broad mass distribution extending up to severalt housand amu, two distinct peaks were identified at 25.8-26.0 and 49.0-50.1 amu/q, corresponding to the carbon chain anions CN−and/orC2H−for the first peak and C3N−and/orC4H−for the second peak. In this study we present the spatial distribution of these low mass negative ions from 28 Titanflybys with favourable observations between 26 October 2004 and 22 May 2012. We report a trend of lower densities on the night side and increased densities up to twice as high on the day side at small solar zenith angles. To further understand this trend, we compare the negative ion densities to the total electron density measured by Cassini’s Langmuir Probe. We find the low mass negative ion density and the electron density to be proportional to each other on the dayside, but independent of each other on the night side. This indicates photochemical processes and is in agreement with the primary production route for the low mass negative ions being initiated by dissociative reactions with suprathermal electron populations produced by photoionisation. We also find the ratio ofCN−/C2H−toC3N−/C4H−highly constrained on the day-side, in agreement with this production channel, but notably displays large variations on the nightside.
Eggington JWB, Eastwood JP, Mejnertsen L, et al., 2020, Dipole tilt effect on magnetopause reconnection and the steady‐state magnetosphere‐ionosphere system: global MHD simulation, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 125, Pages: 1-17, ISSN: 2169-9380
The Earth’s dipole tilt angle changes both diurnally and seasonally and introduces numerous variabilities in the coupled magnetosphere‐ionosphere system. By altering the location and intensity of magnetic reconnection, the dipole tilt influences convection on a global scale. However, due to the nonlinear nature of the system, various other effects like dipole rotation, varying IMF orientation and non‐uniform ionospheric conductance can smear tilt effects arising purely from changes in coupling with the solar wind. To elucidate the underlying tilt angle‐dependence, we perform MHD simulations of the steady‐state magnetosphere‐ionosphere system under purely southward IMF conditions for tilt angles from 0°‐90°. We identify the location of the magnetic separator in each case, and find that an increasing tilt angle shifts the 3‐D X‐line southward on the magnetopause due to changes in magnetic shear angle. The separator is highly unsteady above 50° tilt angle, characteristic of regular FTE generation on the magnetopause. The reconnection rate drops as the tilt angle becomes large, but remains continuous across the dayside such that the magnetosphere is open even for 90°. These trends map down to the ionosphere, with the polar cap contracting as the tilt angle increases, and region‐I field‐aligned current (FAC) migrating to higher latitudes with changing morphology. The tilt introduces a north‐south asymmetry in magnetospheric convection, thus driving more FAC in the northern (sunward‐facing) hemisphere for large tilt angles than in the south independent of conductance. These results highlight the strong sensitivity to onset time in the potential impact of a severe space weather event.
Nordheim TA, Wellbrock A, Jones GH, et al., 2020, Detection of Negative Pickup Ions at Saturn's Moon Dione, GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, Vol: 47, ISSN: 0094-8276
Wellbrock A, Coates AJ, Jones GH, et al., 2019, Heavy negative ion growth in Titan's polar winter, MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Vol: 490, Pages: 2254-2261, ISSN: 0035-8711
Dubois D, Carrasco N, Bourgalais J, et al., 2019, Nitrogen-containing Anions and Tholin Growth in Titan's Ionosphere: Implications for Cassini CAPS-ELS Observations, ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS, Vol: 872, ISSN: 2041-8205
Eggington J, Mejnertsen L, Desai R, et al., 2018, Forging links in Earth's plasma environment, Astronomy and Geophysics, Vol: 59, Pages: 6.26-6.28, ISSN: 1366-8781
Gingell IL, Schwartz SJ, Gershman DJ, et al., 2018, Production of negative hydrogen ions within MMS Fast Plasma Investigation due to solar wind bombardment, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 123, Pages: 6161-6170, ISSN: 2169-9380
The particle data delivered by Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) instrument aboard NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission allows for exceptionally high-resolution examination of the electron and ion phase space in the near-Earth plasma environment. It is necessary to identify populations which originate from instrumental effects. Using FPI's Dual Electron Spectrometers (DES) we isolate a high energy (~keV) beam, present while the spacecraft are in the solar wind, which exhibits an azimuthal drift with period associated with the spacecraft spin. We show that this population is consistent with negative hydrogen ions H- generated by a double charge exchange interaction between the incident solar wind H+ ions and the metallic surfaces within the instrument. This interaction is likely to occur at the deflector plates close to the instrument aperture. The H- density is shown to be approximately 0.2-0.4% of the solar wind ion density, and the energy of the negative ion population is shown to be 70% of the incident solar wind energy. These negative ions may introduce errors in electron velocity moments on the order of 0.2-0.4% of the solar wind velocity, and significantly higher errors in the electron temperature.
Rymer A, Mandt K, Hurley D, et al., 2018, Solar System Ice Giants: Exoplanets in our Backyard
Future remote sensing of exoplanets will be enhanced by a thoroughinvestigation of our solar system Ice Giants (Neptune-size planets). What canthe configuration of the magnetic field tell us (remotely) about the interior,and what implications does that field have for the structure of themagnetosphere; energy input into the atmosphere, and surface geophysics (forexample surface weathering of satellites that might harbour sub-surfaceoceans). How can monitoring of auroral emission help inform future remoteobservations of emission from exoplanets? Our Solar System provides the onlylaboratory in which we can perform in-situ experiments to understand exoplanetformation, dynamos, systems and magnetospheres.
Desai RT, Taylor SA, Regoli LH, et al., 2018, Cassini CAPS identification of pickup ion compositions at Rhea, Geophysical Research Letters, Vol: 45, Pages: 1704-1712, ISSN: 0094-8276
Saturn's largest icy moon, Rhea, hosts a tenuous surface‐sputtered exosphere composed primarily of molecular oxygen and carbon dioxide. In this Letter, we examine Cassini Plasma Spectrometer velocity space distributions near Rhea and confirm that Cassini detected nongyrotropic fluxes of outflowing urn:x-wiley:grl:media:grl56939:grl56939-math-0001 during both the R1 and R1.5 encounters. Accounting for this nongyrotropy, we show that these possess comparable along‐track densities of ∼2 × 10−3 cm−3. Negatively charged pickup ions, also detected during R1, are surprisingly shown as consistent with mass 26 ± 3 u which we suggest are carbon‐based compounds, such as CN−, urn:x-wiley:grl:media:grl56939:grl56939-math-0002, urn:x-wiley:grl:media:grl56939:grl56939-math-0003, or HCO−, sputtered from carbonaceous material on the moon's surface. The negative ions are calculated to possess along‐track densities of ∼5 × 10−4 cm−3 and are suggested to derive from exogenic compounds, a finding consistent with the existence of Rhea's dynamic CO2 exosphere and surprisingly low O2 sputtering yields. These pickup ions provide important context for understanding the exospheric and surface ice composition of Rhea and of other icy moons which exhibit similar characteristics.
Taylor SA, Coates AJ, Jones GH, et al., 2018, Modeling, Analysis, and Interpretation of Photoelectron Energy Spectra at Enceladus Observed by Cassini, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, Vol: 123, Pages: 287-296, ISSN: 2169-9380
Desai RT, Cowee MM, Wei H, et al., 2017, Hybrid simulations of positively and negatively charged pickup Ions and cyclotron wave generation at Europa, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol: 122, Pages: 10408-10420, ISSN: 2169-9380
In the vicinity of Europa, Galileo observed bursty Alfvén-cyclotron wave power at the gyrofrequencies of a number of species including K+, O urn:x-wiley:jgra:media:jgra53834:jgra53834-math-0001, Na+, and Cl+, indicating the localized pickup of these species. Additional evidence for the presence of chlorine was the occurrence of both left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) polarized transverse wave power near the Cl+ gyrofrequency, thought to be due to the pickup of both Cl+ and the easily formed chlorine anion, Cl−. To test this hypothesis, we use one-dimensional hybrid (kinetic ion, massless fluid electron) simulations for both positive and negative pickup ions and self-consistently reproduce the growth of both LH and RH Alfvén-cyclotron waves in agreement with linear theory. We show how the simultaneous generation of LH and RH waves can result in nongyrotropic ion distributions and increased wave amplitudes, and how even trace quantities of negative pickup ions are able to generate an observable RH signal. Through comparing simulated and observed wave amplitudes, we are able to place the first constraints on the densities of Chlorine pickup ions in localized regions at Europa.
Desai RT, Coates AJ, Wellbrock A, et al., 2017, Carbon chain anions and the growth of complex organic molecules in titan's ionosphere, Letters of the Astrophysical Journal, Vol: 844, ISSN: 2041-8205
Cassini discovered a plethora of neutral and ionized molecules in Titan's ionosphere including, surprisingly, anions and negatively charged molecules extending up to 13,800 u q−1. In this Letter, we forward model the Cassini electron spectrometer response function to this unexpected ionospheric component to achieve an increased mass resolving capability for negatively charged species observed at Titan altitudes of 950–1300 km. We report on detections consistently centered between 25.8 and 26.0 u q−1 and between 49.0–50.1 u q−1 which are identified as belonging to the carbon chain anions, CN−/C3N− and/or C2H−/C4H−, in agreement with chemical model predictions. At higher ionospheric altitudes, detections at 73–74 u q−1 could be attributed to the further carbon chain anions C5N−/C6H− but at lower altitudes and during further encounters extend over a higher mass/charge range. This, as well as further intermediary anions detected at >100 u, provide the first evidence for efficient anion chemistry in space involving structures other than linear chains. Furthermore, at altitudes below <1100 km, the low-mass anions (<150 u q−1) were found to deplete at a rate proportional to the growth of the larger molecules, a correlation that indicates the anions are tightly coupled to the growth process. This study adds Titan to an increasing list of astrophysical environments where chain anions have been observed and shows that anion chemistry plays a role in the formation of complex organics within a planetary atmosphere as well as in the interstellar medium.
Shebanits O, Wahlund J-E, Edberg NJT, et al., 2016, Ion and aerosol precursor densities in Titan's ionosphere: A multi-instrument case study, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, Vol: 121, Pages: 10075-10090, ISSN: 2169-9380
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