Search Publications
Remote energetic neutral atom imaging of electric potential over a lunar magnetic anomaly
Barabash, S.; Futaana, Y.; Wurz, P. +5 more
<title type="main">Abstract<p label="1">The formation of electric potential over lunar magnetized regions is essential for understanding fundamental lunar science, for understanding the lunar environment, and for planning human exploration on the Moon. A large positive electric potential was predicted and detected from single point mea…
Field-aligned currents associated with dipolarization fronts
Zong, Q. -G.; Parks, G. K.; Huang, S. Y. +7 more
Current densities associated with dipolarization fronts (DFs) have been calculated in the geomagnetic tail using the curlometer technique applied to high-resolution magnetic field B→ data obtained by the four Cluster spacecraft. We then use the relation <mfenced separators="" open="<" close=">">b→</mfenced>·<mfenced separators…
Auroral signatures of multiple magnetopause reconnection at Saturn
Bonfond, B.; Gérard, J. -C.; Grodent, D. +5 more
Auroral observations capture the ionospheric response to dynamics of the whole magnetosphere and may provide evidence of the significance of reconnection at Saturn. Bifurcations of the main dayside auroral emission have been related to reconnection at the magnetopause and their surface is suggested to represent the amount of newly opened flux. Thi…
A new semiempirical model of the peak electron density of the Martian ionosphere
Withers, Paul; Mendillo, Michael; Morgan, David +2 more
of the ionosphere of Mars have now reached a sufficient number to begin discussions on how best to create an empirically based model of its global morphology. Here we use nearly 113,000 values of maximum electron density (Nmax) obtained from 2005 to 2012 by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding on board the Mar…
Storm-induced energization of radiation belt electrons: Effect of wave obliquity
Zelenyi, L. M.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Artemyev, A. V. +2 more
New Cluster statistics allow us to determine for the first time the variations of both the obliquity and intensity of lower-band chorus waves as functions of latitude and geomagnetic activity near L∼5. The portion of wave power in very oblique waves decreases during highly disturbed periods, consistent with increased Landau damping by inward-penet…
Phobos 2/ASPERA data revisited: Planetary ion escape rate from Mars near the 1989 solar maximum
Barabash, Stas; Lundin, Rickard; Nilsson, Hans +4 more
Insights about the near-Mars space environment from Mars Express observations have motivated a revisit of the Phobos 2/ASPERA ion data from 1989. We have expanded the analysis to now include all usable heavy ion (O+, O2+, CO2+) measurements from the circular orbits of Phobos 2. Phobos 2/ASPERA ion fluxes in the Martian tail are compared…
An unidentified emission in Titan's upper atmosphere
López-Puertas, M.; D'Aversa, E.; García-Comas, M. +4 more
We have analyzed limb daytime observations of Titan's upper atmosphere at 3.3 µm, acquired by the visual-infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS) on Cassini. They were previously studied by García-Comas et al. (2011) to derive CH4 densities. Here, we report an unidentified emission peaking around 3.28 µm, hidden under the methan…
Observation of multiple sub-cavities adjacent to single separatrix
Daly, P. W.; Zhang, Tielong; Kronberg, E. A. +7 more
investigate a direct south-north crossing of a reconnection ion diffusion region in the magnetotail. During this crossing, multiple electron density dips with a further density decrease within the cavity, called sub-cavities, adjacent to the northern separatrix are observed. The correlation between electron density sub-cavities and strong electric…
The multiple spots of the Ganymede auroral footprint
Bagenal, F.; Bonfond, B.; Clarke, J. T. +5 more
The interaction between the moons and the magnetosphere of giant planets sometimes gives rise to auroral signatures in the planetary ionosphere, called the satellite footprints. So far, footprints have been detected for Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Enceladus. These footprints are usually seen as single spots. However, the Io footprint, the brightest …
Extreme densities in Titan's ionosphere during the T85 magnetosheath encounter
Dougherty, M. K.; Roussos, E.; Garnier, P. +10 more
We present Cassini Langmuir probe measurements of the highest electron number densities ever reported from the ionosphere of Titan. The measured density reached 4310 cm-3 during the T85 Titan flyby. This is at least 500 cm-3 higher than ever observed before and at least 50% above the average density for similar solar zenith a…