Ejection of nitrogen from Titan's atmosphere by magnetospheric ions and pick-up ions

M. Michael (1) , R.-E. Johnson (1) , François Leblanc (2) , M. Liu (1) , J.-G. Luhmann (3) , V.-I. Shematovich (4)

1 MS - Department of Materials Science and Engineering [Charlottesville]
2 SA - Service d'aéronomie
3 SSL - Space Sciences Laboratory [Berkeley]
4 INASAN - Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences

A 3-D Monte Carlo model is used to describe the ejection of N and N2 from Titan due to the interaction of Saturn's magnetospheric N+ ions and molecular pick-up ions with its N2 atmosphere. Based on estimates of the ion flux into Titan's corona, atmospheric sputtering is an important source of both atomic and molecular nitrogen for the neutral torus and plasma in Saturn's outer magnetosphere, a region now being studied by the Cassini spacecraft.

Mots clés: Planète; Titan; Saturne; Magnétosphère

Domaines: Physique Atmosphérique et Océanique [physics.ao-ph]; Océan, Atmosphère

M. Michael, R.-E. Johnson, François Leblanc, M. Liu, J.-G. Luhmann, et al.. Ejection of nitrogen from Titan's atmosphere by magnetospheric ions and pick-up ions. Icarus, 2005, 175, pp.263-267. ⟨10.1016/j.icarus.2004.11.004⟩. ⟨hal-00069269⟩