Electron temperature(s) in Titan's ionosphere: re-analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP data
Abstract
The Cassini Langmuir Probe (LP) data, part of the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) investigation, in Titan's ionosphere are re-analyzed with the main goal to finely measure the electron temperature on all the dataset. The LP sweeps in this region are particularly difficult to fit and interpret. We have found that several maxwellian electron components were needed to correctly fit the data. It seems that at least two electron populations of different temperatures are present. Statistical studies show that the main component gives an electron temperature slowly varying with Solar Zenith Angle. However, a second electron population often appears at lower altitudes and has a temperature more dependent on solar irradiation.
Origin : Publisher files allowed on an open archive
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