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Heavy Ion Formation in Titan's Ionosphere: Magnetospheric Introduction of Free Oxygen and Source of Titan's Aerosols?With the recent discovery of heavy ions, positive and negative, by the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) instrument in Titan's ionosphere, it reveals new possibilities for aerosol formation at Titan and the introduction of free oxygen to the aerosol chemistry from Saturn's magnetosphere with Enceladus as the primary oxygen source. One can estimate whether the heavy ions in the ionosphere are of sufficient number to account for all the aerosols, under what conditions are favorable for heavy ion formation and how they are introduced as seed particles deeper in Titan's atmosphere where the aerosols form and eventually find themselves on Titan's surface where unknown chemical processes can take place. Finally, what are the possibilities with regard to their chemistry on the surface with some free oxygen present in their seed particles?
Document ID
20080039351
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Sittler, E. C., Jr.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Hartle, R. E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Cooper, J. F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Johnson, R. E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Coates, A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
dePater, imke
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Strom, Daphne
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Simoes, F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Steele, A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Robb, F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
August 27, 2007
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Space Science Institute Conference
Location: Bern
Country: Switzerland
Start Date: August 27, 2007
End Date: August 31, 2007
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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