Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987jgr....9215309c&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 92, Dec. 30, 1987, p. 15309-15314.
Physics
16
Atmospheric Chemistry, Magnetospheric Proton Density, Oxygen Plasma, Planetary Magnetospheres, Uranus Atmosphere, Voyager 2 Spacecraft
Scientific paper
Despite the presence of several large, ice moons within the Uranian magnetosphere, the Voyager 2 spacecraft did not detect any heavy ion plasma. This paper estimates the heavy ion density that would be consistent with a heavy neutral torus formed by photosputtering, charged particle sputtering, and micrometeoroid impact vaporization of icy surfaces on the moons, taking into account the large 60 deg angle between the satellite orbit plane and the magnetic equator. The expected heavy ion density is unobservably small. The observed proton plasma of the inner magnetosphere can be maintained by ionization of the atomic hydrogen corona and by the ionospheric proton source driven by photoelectron escape, for a plasma residence time of about 30 days. These two proton sources are comparable near L = 5. The same 30-day residence time for energetic protons implies an upper limit of 0.00001 on the fraction of incident solar wind protons that enter the magnetosphere and penetrate to within L less than 6 while conserving their first adiabatic invariants.
No associations
LandOfFree
Proton and oxygen plasmas at Uranus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Proton and oxygen plasmas at Uranus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Proton and oxygen plasmas at Uranus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-904091