Re-analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP data in Titan's ionosphere: electron density and temperature of four cold electron populations

Audrey Chatain (1, 2) , Jan-Erik Wahlund (3) , Oleg Shebanits (4, 3) , Lina Z. Hadid (3, 1) , Anders Eriksson (3) , Michiko Morooka (3) , Niklas J T Edberg (3) , Nathalie Carrasco (2) , Olivier Guaitella (1)

1 LPP - Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas
2 PLANETO - LATMOS
3 IRF - Swedish Institute of Space Physics [Uppsala]
4 Imperial College London

The Cassini Langmuir Probe (LP) data acquired in the ionosphere of Titan are re-analysed to finely study the electron behaviour in the birthplace of Titan's aerosols (900-1200 km). The detailed analysis of the complete Cassini LP dataset below 1200 km (57 flybys) shows the systematic detection of 2 to 4 electron populations, with reproducible characteristics depending on altitude and solar illumination. Their densities and temperatures are deduced from the Orbital Motion Limited theory. Statistical correlations with other quantities measured by Cassini are investigated. We finally discuss the origins of the detected populations, one being possibly emitted by aerosols.

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Astrophysics [astro-ph]; Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP]

Audrey Chatain, Jan-Erik Wahlund, Oleg Shebanits, Lina Z. Hadid, Anders Eriksson, et al.. Re-analysis of the Cassini RPWS/LP data in Titan's ionosphere: electron density and temperature of four cold electron populations. Europlanet Science Congress 2020. EPSC 2020, Sep 2020, Virtual Meeting, Germany. pp.EPSC2020-436. ⟨insu-02940670⟩