Search Publications
Map-projection-independent crater size-frequency determination in GIS environments—New software tool for ArcGIS
Neukum, G.; van Gasselt, S.; Kneissl, T.
Statistical analysis of crater size-frequency distributions (CSFDs) of impact craters on planetary surfaces is a well-established method to derive absolute ages on the basis of remotely-sensed image data. Although modelling approaches and the derivation of absolute ages from a given CSFD have been described and discussed in considerable depth sinc…
Optical measurements of the Moon as a tool to study its surface
Korokhin, V.; Kaydash, V.; Videen, G. +3 more
This survey is a general overview of modern optical studies of the Moon and their diagnostic meaning. It includes three united parts: phase photometry, spectrophotometry, and polarimetry. The first one is devoted to the progress in the photometry of the Moon, which includes absolute albedo determination to refine the albedo scale (e.g., to connect…
Dipolarization fronts in the magnetotail plasma sheet
Russell, C. T.; Glassmeier, K. -H.; Nakamura, R. +12 more
We present a THEMIS study of a dipolarization front associated with a bursty bulk flow (BBF) that was observed in the central plasma sheet sequentially at X=-20.1, -16.7, and -11.0 RE. Simultaneously, the THEMIS ground network observed the formation of a north-south auroral form and intensification of westward auroral zone currents. Tim…
Mapping methane in Martian atmosphere with PFS-MEX data
Sindoni, G.; Geminale, A.; Formisano, V.
In this study we map the methane gas in the Martian atmosphere. The main goal of this work is to show the methane behaviour across the planet seasonally. To this aim, we analyze the strongest methane band in the short wavelength channel of the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) on board ESA Mars Express (MeX) spacecraft. The optical line depth i…
Ionospheric photoelectrons: Comparing Venus, Earth, Mars and Titan
Coates, A. J.; Barabash, S.; Lundin, R. +6 more
The sunlit portion of planetary ionospheres is sustained by photoionization. This was first confirmed using measurements and modelling at Earth, but recently the Mars Express, Venus Express and Cassini-Huygens missions have revealed the importance of this process at Mars, Venus and Titan, respectively. The primary neutral atmospheric constituents …
The role of suprathermal particle measurements in CrossScale studies of collisionless plasma processes
Davies, Jackie; Hapgood, Mike; Perry, Chris +1 more
The CrossScale mission will advance our understanding of fundamental plasma processes in collisionless plasmas. It will exploit the excellent natural plasma laboratory provided by the Earth's magnetosphere and the near-Earth solar wind and, in particular, carry out multi-scale studies that will strongly complement plasma studies in ground-based la…
High kinetic energy density jets in the Earth’s magnetosheath: A case study
Amata, E.; Bogdanova, Y. V.; Marcucci, M. F. +4 more
We study several high kinetic energy density jets observed during a traversal of the dayside magnetosheath by the Cluster spacecraft on March 17, 2001, at various distances from the magnetopause, generally characterised by anomalously high values of the local magnetosonic Mach number. We concentrate on two jets observed just outside the magnetopau…
Flushing effect in reconnection: Effects of minority species of oxygen ions
Kistler, L. M.; Mouikis, C. G.; Daughton, W. +2 more
Effects of O + ions on magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail are examined in a Harris equilibrium using a combination of linear Vlasov theory and large-scale driven and non-driven two-dimensional fully kinetic particle simulations. Linear theory of multiple species plasma indicates that the growth rate is rather insensitive to the co…
Characteristics of the dust-plasma interaction near Enceladus’ South Pole
Kurth, W. S.; Wahlund, J. -E.; Farrell, W. M. +2 more
We present RPWS Langmuir probe data from the third Enceladus flyby (E3) showing the presence of dusty plasma near Enceladus' South Pole. There is a sharp rise in both the electron and ion number densities when the spacecraft traverses through Enceladus plume. The ion density near Enceladus is found to increase abruptly from about 10 2 c…
Compositional interpretation of PFS/MEx and TES/MGS thermal infrared spectra of Phobos
Duxbury, T.; Geminale, A.; Formisano, V. +4 more
The origin of the Martian satellites presents a puzzle of long standing. Addressing the composition of Phobos will help constrain theories of its formation. Visible and near-infrared spectra of Phobos lack deep absorption features, making the compositional interpretation a tricky task. PFS/MEx and TES/MGS observations in the thermal infrared show …