Titan's Plasma Environment Research Articles

On Current Sheets and Associated Density Spikes in Titan’s Ionosphere as Seen From Cassini

AbstractThe Cassini spacecraft made in‐situ measurements of Titan's plasma environment during 126 close encounters between 2004 and 2017. Here we report on observations from the Radio and Plasma Waves System/Langmuir probe instrument (RPWS/LP) from which we have observed, primarily on the outbound leg, a localized increase of the electron density by up to 150 cm−3 with respect to the background. This feature, appearing as an electron density spike in the data, is found during 28 of the 126 flybys. The data from RPWS/LP, the electron spectrometer from the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer package , and the magnetometer is used to calculate electron densities and magnetic field characteristics. The location of these structures around Titan with respect to the nominal corotation direction and the sun direction is investigated. We find that the electron density spikes are primarily observed on the dayside and ramside of Titan. We also observe magnetic field signatures that could suggest the presence of current sheets in most cases. The density spikes are extended along the trajectory of the spacecraft with the horizontal scale of ∼537 ± 160 km and vertical scale ∼399 ± 163 km. We suggest that the density spikes are formed as a result of the current sheet formation.

A combined model of pressure variations in Titan's plasma environment

AbstractIn 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 ≲10°. 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.

An empirical model for the plasma environment along Titan's orbit based on Cassini plasma observations

AbstractPrior to Cassini's arrival at Saturn, the nitrogen‐rich dense atmosphere of Titan was considered as a significant, if not dominant, source of heavy ions in Saturn's magnetosphere. While nitrogen was detected in Saturn's magnetosphere based on Cassini observations, Enceladus instead of Titan appears to be the primary source. However, it is difficult to imagine that Titan's dense atmosphere is not a source of nitrogen. In this paper, we apply the Rymer et al.'s (2009) Titan plasma environment categorization model to the plasma environment along Titan's orbit when Titan is not present. We next categorize the Titan encounters that occurred since Rymer et al. (2009). We also produce an empirical model for applying the probabilistic occurrence of each plasma environment as a function of Saturn local time (SLT). Finally, we summarized the electron energy spectra in order to allow one to calculate more accurate electron‐impact interaction rates for each plasma environment category. The combination of this full categorization versus SLT and empirical model for the electron spectrum is critical for understanding the magnetospheric plasma and will allow for more accurate modeling of the Titan plasma torus.

Magnetic field fossilization and tail reconfiguration in Titan's plasma environment during a magnetopause passage: 3D adaptive hybrid code simulations

We present a hybrid simulation study (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) of Titan's plasma interaction during an excursion of this moon from Saturn's magnetosphere into its magnetosheath, as observed for the first time during Cassini's T32 flyby on 13 June 2007. In contrast to earlier simulations of Titan's plasma environment under non-stationary upstream conditions, our model considers a difference in the flow directions of magnetospheric and magnetosheath plasma. Two complementary scenarios are investigated, with the flow directions of the impinging magnetospheric/magnetosheath plasmas being (A) antiparallel and (B) parallel. In both cases, our simulations show that due to the drastically reduced convection speed in the slow and dense heavy ion plasma near Titan, the satellite carries a bundle of “fossilized” magnetic field lines from the magnetosphere in the magnetosheath. Furthermore, the passage through Saturn's magnetopause goes along with a disruption of Titan's pick-up tail. Although the tail is not detached from the satellite, large clouds of heavy ion plasma are stripped of its outer flank, featuring a wave-like pattern. Whereas in case (B) under parallel flow conditions there is only a small retardation of about 5 min between the passage of Titan through the magnetopause and the reconfiguration of the pick-up tail, the tail reconfiguration in the case (A) scenario is completed not until 25 min after the magnetopause passage. The lifetime of fossil fields in the moon's ionosphere is approximately 25 min, regardless of whether parallel or antiparallel flow conditions are applied.

Titan's induced magnetosphere under non-ideal upstream conditions: 3D multi-species hybrid simulations

A 3D, multi-species hybrid model (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) has been applied to the interaction between Saturn's largest satellite Titan and the plasma in the giant planet's outer magnetosphere. In contrast to the idealized picture deduced from Voyager 1 data, recent observations made by the Cassini magnetometer instrument suggest that the ambient magnetic field is not directed perpendicular to Titan's orbital plane. Therefore, our purpose is to investigate systematically how Titan's induced magnetosphere is affected by a tilt of the upstream magnetic field. In the first part of our study, the structure of Titan's induced magnetosphere is analyzed as a function of the angle between the ambient magnetic field B ̲ 0 and the bulk velocity u ̲ 0 of the corotating plasma flow. Our simulations show that introducing a flow-aligned magnetic field component goes along with an asymmetrization of Titan's magnetotail, in addition to the asymmetry that already arises from the large gyroradii of the ion species involved in the interaction. In the vicinity of Titan, the field lines become strongly twisted, permitting the wakeside magnetic lobe structure to even penetrate into the satellite's geometric plasma shadow. However, despite the increased complexity of Titan's magnetic environment, the overall characteristics of the pick-up tail remain practically the same as in the case of “ideal” magnetic field orientation ( B ̲ 0 ⊥ u ̲ 0 ) . In the second part of our study, we investigate in real-time the transition that Titan's plasma interaction undergoes during a change of the ambient magnetic field direction. In contrast to earlier analyses of Titan's plasma environment under non-stationary upstream conditions, the tilt of the ambient magnetic field is again taken into account. While in the case of B ̲ 0 being perpendicular to u ̲ 0 , the reconfiguration of Titan's induced magnetosphere is mainly governed by reconnection, our simulations suggest that when a flow-aligned field component is included, convection of the field lines around the obstacle's ionosphere plays the key role for the reconfiguration process.

Real-time 3-D hybrid simulation of Titan's plasma interaction during a solar wind excursion

Abstract. The plasma environment of Saturn's largest satellite Titan is known to be highly variable. Since Titan's orbit is located within the outer magnetosphere of Saturn, the moon can leave the region dominated by the magnetic field of its parent body in times of high solar wind dynamic pressure and interact with the thermalized magnetosheath plasma or even with the unshocked solar wind. By applying a three-dimensional hybrid simulation code (kinetic description of ions, fluid electrons), we study in real-time the transition that Titan's plasma environment undergoes when the moon leaves Saturn's magnetosphere and enters the supermagnetosonic solar wind. In the simulation, the transition between both plasma regimes is mimicked by a reversal of the magnetic field direction as well as a change in the composition and temperature of the impinging plasma flow. When the satellite enters the solar wind, the magnetic draping pattern in its vicinity is reconfigured due to reconnection, with the characteristic time scale of this process being determined by the convection of the field lines in the undisturbed plasma flow at the flanks of the interaction region. The build-up of a bow shock ahead of Titan takes place on a typical time scale of a few minutes as well. We also analyze the erosion of the newly formed shock front upstream of Titan that commences when the moon re-enters the submagnetosonic plasma regime of Saturn's magnetosphere. Although the model presented here is far from governing the full complexity of Titan's plasma interaction during a solar wind excursion, the simulation provides important insights into general plasma-physical processes associated with such a disruptive change of the upstream flow conditions.

Titan's plasma environment during a magnetosheath excursion: Real-time scenarios for Cassini's T32 flyby from a hybrid simulation

Abstract. With a Saturnian magnetopause average stand-off distance of about 21 planetary radii, Titan spends most of its time inside the rotating magnetosphere of its parent planet. However, when Saturn's magnetosphere is compressed due to high solar wind dynamic pressure, Titan can cross Saturn's magnetopause in the subsolar region of its orbit and therefore to interact with the shocked solar wind plasma in Saturn's magnetosheath. This situation has been observed during the T32 flyby of the Cassini spacecraft on 13 June 2007. Until a few minutes before closest approach, Titan had been located inside the Saturnian magnetosphere. During the flyby, Titan encountered a sudden change in the direction and magnitude of the ambient magnetic field. The density of the ambient plasma also increased dramatically during the pass. Thus, the moon's exosphere and ionosphere were exposed to a sudden change in the upstream plasma conditions. The resulting reconfiguration of Titan's plasma tail has been studied in real-time by using a three-dimensional, multi-species hybrid simulation model. The hybrid approximation treats the electrons of the plasma as a massless, charge-neutralizing fluid, while ion dynamics are described by a kinetic approach. In the simulations, the magnetopause crossing is modeled by a sudden change of the upstream magnetic field vector as well as a modification of the upstream plasma composition. We present real-time simulation results, illustrating how Titan's induced magnetotail is reconfigured due to magnetic reconnection. The simulations allow to determine a characteristic time scale for the erosion of the original magnetic draping pattern that commences after Titan has crossed Saturn's magnetopause. Besides, the influence of the plasma composition in the magnetosheath on the reconfiguration process is discussed in detail. The question of whether the magnetopause crossing is likely to yield a detachment of Titan's exospheric tail from the satellite is investigated as well.

Physics of the Ion Composition Boundary: a comparative 3-D hybrid simulation study of Mars and Titan

Abstract. The plasma environments of Mars and Titan have been studied by means of a 3-D hybrid simulation code, treating the electrons as a massless, charge-neutralizing fluid, whereas ion dynamics are covered by a kinetic approach. As neither Mars nor Titan possesses a significant intrinsic magnetic field, the upstream plasma flow interacts directly with the planetary ionosphere. The characteristic features of the interaction region are determined as a function of the alfvénic, sonic and magnetosonic Mach number of the impinging plasma. For the Martian interaction with the solar wind as well as for the case of Titan being located outside Saturn's magnetosphere in times of high solar wind dynamic pressure, all three Mach numbers are larger than 1. In such a scenario, the interaction gives rise to a so-called Ion Composition Boundary, separating the ionospheric plasma from the ambient flow and being highly asymmetric with respect to the direction of the convective electric field. The formation of these features is explained by analyzing the Lorentz forces acting on ionospheric and ambient plasma particles. Titan's plasma environment is highly variable and allows various different combinations of the three Mach numbers. Therefore, the Ion Composition Boundary may vanish under certain circumstances. The relevant physical mechanism is illustrated as a function of the Mach numbers in the upstream plasma flow.

Initial interpretation of Titan plasma interaction as observed by the Cassini plasma spectrometer: Comparisons with Voyager 1

The Cassini plasma spectrometer (CAPS) instrument made measurements of Titan's plasma environment when the Cassini Orbiter flew through the moon's plasma wake October 26, 2004 (flyby TA). Initial CAPS ion and electron measurements from this encounter will be compared with measurements made by the Voyager 1 plasma science instrument (PLS). The comparisons will be used to evaluate previous interpretations and predictions of the Titan plasma environment that have been made using PLS measurements. The plasma wake trajectories of flyby TA and Voyager 1 are similar because they occurred when Titan was near Saturn's local noon. These similarities make possible direct, meaningful comparisons between the various plasma wake measurements. They lead to the following: (A) The light and heavy ions, H +and N +/O +, were observed by PLS in Saturn's magnetosphere in the vicinity of Titan while the higher mass resolution of CAPS yielded H + and H 2 +as the light constituents and O +/CH 4 + as the heavy ions. (B) Finite gyroradius effects were apparent in PLS and CAPS measurements of ambient O + ions as a result of their absorption by Titan's extended atmosphere. (C) The principal pickup ions inferred from both PLS and CAPS measurements are H +, H 2 +, N +, CH 4 + and N 2 +. (D) The inference that heavy pickup ions, observed by PLS, were in narrow beam distributions was empirically established by the CAPS measurements. (E) Slowing down of the ambient plasma due to pickup ion mass loading was observed by both instruments on the anti-Saturn side of Titan. (F) Strong mass loading just outside the ionotail by a heavy ion such as N 2 + is apparent in PLS and CAPS measurements. (G) Except for the expected differences due to the differing trajectories, the magnitudes and structures of the electron densities and temperatures observed by both instruments are similar. The high-energy electron bite-out observed by PLS in the magnetotail is consistent with that observed by CAPS.

Plasma environment of Titan: a 3-D hybrid simulation study

Abstract. Titan possesses a dense atmosphere, consisting mainly of molecular nitrogen. Titan's orbit is located within the Saturnian magnetosphere most of the time, where the corotating plasma flow is super-Alfvénic, yet subsonic and submagnetosonic. Since Titan does not possess a significant intrinsic magnetic field, the incident plasma interacts directly with the atmosphere and ionosphere. Due to the characteristic length scales of the interaction region being comparable to the ion gyroradii in the vicinity of Titan, magnetohydrodynamic models can only offer a rough description of Titan's interaction with the corotating magnetospheric plasma flow. For this reason, Titan's plasma environment has been studied by using a 3-D hybrid simulation code, treating the electrons as a massless, charge-neutralizing fluid, whereas a completely kinetic approach is used to cover ion dynamics. The calculations are performed on a curvilinear simulation grid which is adapted to the spherical geometry of the obstacle. In the model, Titan's dayside ionosphere is mainly generated by solar UV radiation; hence, the local ion production rate depends on the solar zenith angle. Because the Titan interaction features the possibility of having the densest ionosphere located on a face not aligned with the ram flow of the magnetospheric plasma, a variety of different scenarios can be studied. The simulations show the formation of a strong magnetic draping pattern and an extended pick-up region, being highly asymmetric with respect to the direction of the convective electric field. In general, the mechanism giving rise to these structures exhibits similarities to the interaction of the ionospheres of Mars and Venus with the supersonic solar wind. The simulation results are in agreement with data from recent Cassini flybys.

Ion distributions in Saturn's magnetosphere near Titan

Titan's interaction with Saturn's magnetosphere is studied using a combination of a three‐dimensional (3‐D) single‐fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation and a test particle/Monte Carlo model. The MHD simulation includes an exosphere model based on the one used in the work of Cravens et al. (1998), simple ionospheric processes such as ion production, ion‐neutral friction and dissociative recombination and provides a general picture of Titan's plasma environment. The fields from the MHD simulation are then used to calculate the trajectories of 1.4 × 106 ions. We calculate the velocity space distribution and differential energy flux for ambient H+ and N+ ions and for three generic species of pickup ions found upstream of, and within, Titan's plasma wake. The three generic pickup ion species we use are: light (e.g., H+ or H2+), medium (e.g., N+, CH4+, or CH5+), and heavy (e.g., N2+, HCNH+, or some other ionized heavy exospheric species) with representative masses 1, 14, and 28 amu. We also determine the ion flux into Titan's exobase for each species. The ambient ions are assumed to have a drifting Maxwellian distribution consistent with the Voyager observations, while the pickup ions are created with a radial distribution proportional to the neutral density profiles from the neutral exosphere model used in the 2‐D MHD model of Cravens et al. (1998). The possibility that the ambient N+ ions may have a shell distribution rather than a Maxwellian is also considered. The modeled ion distributions are compared with data from the Voyager 1 Plasma Science Instrument (PLS).

Titan's highly variable plasma environment

Titan's plasma environment is variable due to two different causes. The variability of the solar wind has the consequence that Titan may be located in the outer magnetosphere, the magnetosheath, or the interplanetary medium around noon Saturnian local time. Additionally, there are local time variations in Saturn's magnetosphere. We have calculated the location of the stagnation point of Saturn's magnetosphere rst = 16‐26 RS assuming a terrestrial type magnetosphere. Typical plasma parameters along the orbit of Titan are shown for high solar wind pressure. The magnetoplasma incident on Titan will be generally be subsonic, subalfvénic in the tail, transsonic, transalfvénic in the outer magnetosphere, and subsonic, superalfvénic in the magnetosheath. During crossings of the Saturnian magnetopause or bow shock by Titan we expect abrupt changes of the flow direction and stagnation pressure and rapid associated changes in Titan's uppermost atmosphere.