Evidence for ion transport and molecular ion dominance in the Venus ionotail

Details Evidence for ion transport and molecular ion dominance in the Venus ionotail Evidence for ion transport and molecular ion dominance in the Venus ionotail

Sep 1994

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994jgr....9917413i&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 99, no. A9, p. 17,413-17,420

Physics

3

Ions, Night, Planetary Ionospheres, Plasma Waves, Transport Theory, Venus (Planet), Angular Distribution, Ion Acoustic Waves, Pioneer Venus Spacecraft, Plasma Density, Plasma Probes, Wave Propagation

Scientific paper

We present analyses from the five Pioneer Venus Orbiter plasma experiments and the plasma wave experiment when a patch of plasma with enhanced densities was encountered in the near-Venus ionotail during atmospheric entry at an altitude of approximately 1100 km in the nightside ionosphere. Our analyses of the thermal and superthermal ion measurements in this plasma feature provides the first evidence that at times molecular ions in the 28-32 amu mass range are dominant over atomic mass species thus yielding evidence for a transport mechanism that reaches into the lower ionosphere. Analysis of plasma analyzer (OPA) observations at this time indicates the presence of ions measured in the rest frame of the spacecraft at approximately 27 and 37 volt energy per unit charge steps. In the rest frame of the planet these superthermal ions are flowing from the dawn direction at speeds (assuming they are O2(+)) of approximately 8 km/s and with a flow component downward (perpendicular to the ecliptic plane) at speeds of approximately 2 km/s. OPA analyses also determine the ion number flux, energy, flow angles, and angular distributions. Plasma wave bursts appear to indicate that plasma density decreases within and on the equatorward edge of the patch of enhanced plasma densities are associated with ion acoustic waves and relative ion streaming.

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