University of Kansas Titan Studies

Draft The Ionosphere of Titan: An Updated Theoretical Model T. E. Cravens et al.

Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Discussion

Results from a theoretical model of the ionosphere of Titan were presented. Emphasis was placed on ionization by solar radiation for solar zenith angles greater than 90 deg. and on the production of Auger electrons due to K-shell ionization. The motivation for continued improvement of ionospheric models for Titan is the anticipated data return from the Cassini mission to the Saturn-Titan system starting in 2004.

Consider the following application of the improved ionospheric modeling. Superthermal electrons were detected in the plasma environment of Mars by the electron reflectometer experiment onboard the Mars Global Surveyor. Mitchell et al. (2000) used the presence or absence of the oxygen Auger electron peak to distinguish between "ionospheric" electrons and electrons coming from the solar wind in the measured electron spectra. The CAPS instrument on the Cassini Orbiter will be able to measure superthermal electron fluxes, and the Auger electrons are a potential diagnostic for distinguishing between photoelectrons and magnetospheric electrons at Titan.

Next: References

Return to abstract and contents page for this Titan draft manuscript.
Return to Titan Studies main page.
Return to Space Physics home page.

Last modified April 14, 2004 Tizby Hunt-Ward tizby@ku.edu