NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Plasma-dominated magnetic field configurations for the magnetosphere of UranusThere is significant indirect evidence that the planet Uranus possesses a magnetic field. This evidence is based on the observation of hydrogen Lyman alpha emission from Uranus with the aid of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) spacecraft. The detection of water ice on the Uranian moons led Cheng (1984) to suggest that charged particle sputtering of the icy satellites could provide a significant internal source of oxygen ions and protons to the Uranian magnetosphere. Cheng concluded that this mechanism would predict aurorae around both magnetic poles of Uranus. Cheng's idea of the presence of a continuous internal plasma supply to the Uranian magnetosphere is further pursued in the present investigation. Questions are considered regarding the evolution of Uranus' magnetosphere from a vacuum configuration toward a plasma pressure dominated equilibrium configuration, taking into account the amount of the thermal plasma pressure as a free parameter.
Document ID
19850058028
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Ip, A. K.
(Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Voigt, G.-H.
(Rice University Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 90
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
85A40179
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-84-17580
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-44-006-012
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available