University of Kansas Cassini Studies

DRAFT Ion Trajectories in Saturn's Magnetosphere Near Titan S. A. Ledvina, T. E. Cravens, A. Salman, and K. Kecskemety

We use a 100 x 100 x 100 uniform grid version of the single fluid three-dimensional MHD model of Ledvina and Cravens (1998). A grid spacing of Dx = Dy = Dz = 500 km was used to cover a cubic domain extending from -25000 km to 25000 km along each axis. Titan is simulated by a spherical high density plasma region of radius 2575 km, with a number density maintained at 50 cm-3. Ion production is present in a region surrounding Titan extending from the surface (r = 1 RT) out to a radius of 5150 km (2 RT). The ion production rate in this region was 0.02 cm-3 s-1, with a total production rate of the model of 1.1 4 1025 s-1. The incident plasma conditions are representative of the Voyager 1 data mentioned above. We used a molecular mass of 14 amu.

The results of the model showed a strong magnetic field draping pattern and a narrow wake with a width of 1-2 RT at the location of the Voyager crossing (2.7 RT), as illustrated in Figure 1. A set of Alfven wings form farther downstream due to the field draping. See Ledvina and Cravens (1998).

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References

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Last modified February 2, 2004 T. Hunt-Ward tizby@ku.edu