The plasma interaction between Pluto's escaping atmosphere and the solar wind

Details The plasma interaction between Pluto's escaping atmosphere and the solar wind The plasma interaction between Pluto's escaping atmosphere and the solar wind

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufmsm23a0306d&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #SM23A-0306

Physics

2753 Numerical Modeling, 2780 Solar Wind Interactions With Unmagnetized Bodies, 6050 Plasma And Mhd Instabilities (2149, 2752, 7836), 6270 Pluto And Satellites

Scientific paper

Pluto's low gravity implies that the atmosphere is only weakly bound and significant hydrodynamic outflow can exist [Krasnopolsky, 1999; McNutt private comm.; Tian and Toon, 2005]. Though surface spectroscopy of Pluto has revealed methane frost, the dominant escaping neutral gas is thought to be N2 [Young et al., 2001]. These escaping neutrals are photoionized and the heavy ions (N_2+) move away from Pluto in the direction perpendicular to the solar wind flow (i.e. nearly unmagnetized relative to the length scales of the plasma interaction region). In addition, the turning distance of the solar wind protons at the magnetic pileup boundary is large compared to the interaction region. As a result, large ion gyroradius affects determine Pluto's highly asymmetric interaction with the solar wind. We are using a three-dimensional hybrid code (fluid electrons, kinetic ions) to investigate the geometry of the interaction region for a variety of possible atmospheric escape rates and composition. We have also explored the sensitivity of interaction region to variations in solar wind magnetic field strength and density. We will present our new results and discuss implications and expectations for plasma instrumentation on the New Horizons mission to Pluto.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The plasma interaction between Pluto's escaping atmosphere and the solar wind 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 The plasma interaction between Pluto's escaping atmosphere and the solar wind, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The plasma interaction between Pluto's escaping atmosphere and the solar wind will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-971322