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Triton: Topside ionosphere and nitrogen escape
Author(s) -
Yung Y. L.,
Lyons J. R.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i010p01717
Subject(s) - dissociative recombination , physics , ionosphere , ion , ionization , photoionization , electron , plasma , atomic physics , atmospheric escape , thermosphere , magnetosphere , atmospheric sciences , astrophysics , astronomy , recombination , chemistry , planet , biochemistry , quantum mechanics , gene
The principal ion in the ionosphere of Triton is N + . Energetic electrons of magnetospheric origin are the primary source of ionization, with a smaller contribution due to photoionization. To explain the topside plasma scale height, we postulate that N + ions escape from Triton. The loss rate is 3.4 × 10 7 cm −2 s −1 or 7.9 × 10 24 ions s −1 . Dissociative recombination of N + 2 produces neutral exothermic fragments that can escape from Triton. The rate is estimated to be 8.6 × 10 6 N cm −2 s −1 or 2.0 × 10 24 atoms s −1 . Implications for the magnetosphere of Neptune and Triton's evolution are discussed.