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Titan's magnetic field signature during the Cassini T34 flyby: Comparison between hybrid simulations and MAG data
Author(s) -
Simon S.,
Motschmann U.,
Kleindienst G.,
Glassmeier K.H.,
Bertucci C.,
Dougherty M. K.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl033056
Subject(s) - titan (rocket family) , physics , spacecraft , magnetic field , astrobiology , magnetometer , magnetohydrodynamics , computational physics , astronomy , quantum mechanics
During the T34 flyby on 19 July 2007, the Cassini spacecraft passed through the magnetic pile‐up region at Titan's ramside. The magnetic environment of Titan during this flyby is studied using a three‐dimensional hybrid simulation model. This approach treats the electrons of the plasma as a massless, charge‐neutralizing fluid, whereas the effects of finite ion gyroradii are taken into account by modeling the ions as individual particles. The simulation results are compared to data collected by the Cassini Magnetometer Instrument. The key features of the measured magnetic field signature have shown to be fully reproducible in the framework of the simulation model. Several signatures in the observed magnetic field can be ascribed to the passage of the Cassini spacecraft through the magnetic barrier upstream of Titan.