Superthermal over 36-eV ions observed in the near-tail region of Venus by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter neutral mass spectrometer

Details Superthermal over 36-eV ions observed in the near-tail region of Venus by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter neutral mass spectrometer Superthermal over 36-eV ions observed in the near-tail region of Venus by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter neutral mass spectrometer

Jul 1991

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1991jgr....9611175k&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 96, July 1, 1991, p. 11,175-11,187.

Physics

19

Ion Concentration, Planetary Ionospheres, Planetary Magnetotails, Venus Atmosphere, Mass Spectrometers, Pioneer Venus Spacecraft

Scientific paper

The PVO neutral mass spectrometer has measured the over 36-eV ions in the 1300-3700 km altitude range for solar zenith angles greater than 120 deg. The composition is mainly O(+), but He(+), N(+), NO(+), and O2(+) have been identified. The average O(+) flux is about 100,000/sq cm/s, but higher fluxes from 10 to the 6th to 10 to the 8th/sq cm/s are observed about 10 percent of the time. The directions of the apparent O(+) flow in the ecliptic plane show predominantly tailward components with a smaller number of nontailward components. The over 36-eV O(+) escape flux in the ionotail is estimated to be about 100,000/sq cm/s. The O(+) flux data show a factor of 2.5 increase from solar minimum to maximum, implying a photoionization source for these ions. The composition of the superthermal ions in the ionotail suggests that their source is most likely the high-altitude nightside ionosphere. Transport of superthermal O(+) across the terminator to the nightside has been observed.

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