Related papers: Titan interaction with the supersonic solar wind
T Tauri stars, in more advanced stages of evolution, during the final accretion phase of stellar formation, exhibit intense stellar winds and surface magnetic fields with intensities around a kilogauss. With the growing interest in the…
The observed disparity between the radial dependence of the ion and electron densities measured by the Cassini plasma and radio science instruments are used to show that the region between the outer edge of Saturn's main rings and its…
We study the non-thermal emission from the interaction between magnetized Jupiter-like exoplanets and the wind from their host star. The supersonic motion of planets through the wind forms a bow shock that accelerates electrons which…
During 2016-17 the Juno and Cassini spacecraft will both perform close eccentric orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, respectively, obtaining high-precision gravity measurements for these planets. This data will be used to estimate the depth of…
Since its formation 4.6 billion years ago, our solar system has most likely crossed numerous magnetized interstellar clouds and bubbles of different sizes and contents on its path through the Milky Way. Having a reference model for how the…
The detection of O2+ and O+ ions over Saturn's main rings by the Cassini INMS and CAPS instruments at Saturn orbit insertion (SOI) in 2004 confirmed the existence of the ring atmosphere and ionosphere. The source mechanism was suggested to…
The great majority of exoplanets discovered so far are orbiting cool, low-mass stars whose properties are relatively similar to the Sun. However, the stellar magnetism of these stars can be significantly different from the solar one, both…
Intrinsic magnetic fields have long been thought to shield planets from atmospheric erosion via stellar winds; however, the influence of the plasma environment on atmospheric escape is complex. Here we study the influence of a weak…
Every 19 years, Saturn passes through Jupiter's 'flapping' magnetotail. Here, we report Chandra X-ray observations of Saturn planned to coincide with this rare planetary alignment and to analyse Saturn's magnetospheric response when…
Owing to the ever-present solar wind, our vast solar system is full of plasmas. The turbulent solar wind, together with sporadic solar eruptions, introduces various space plasma processes and phenomena in the solar atmosphere all the way to…
Gas giant exoplanets orbiting at close distances to the parent star are subjected to large radiation and stellar wind fluxes. In this paper, hydrodynamic simulations of the planetary upper atmosphere and its interaction with the stellar…
We analyze data retrieved by the Imaging Science System onboard the Cassini spacecraft to study the horizontal velocity and vorticity fields of Saturn's Polar Regions (latitudes 60-90$^\circ$N in June-December 2013 and 60-90$^\circ$S in…
On the basis of gravity and radar observations with the Cassini spacecraft, the moment of inertia of Titan and the orientation of Titan's rotation axis have been estimated in recent studies. According to the observed orientation, Titan is…
Even though the solar wind is highly supersonic, intense ultra-low frequency (ULF) wave activity has been detected in regions just upstream of the bow shocks of magnetized planets. This feature was first observed ahead of the Earth's bow…
Saturn's magnetic field is remarkably axisymmetric. Its dipole axis is inclined by less than 0.2 deg with respect to its rotation axis. Rotationally driven convection of magnetospheric plasma breaks the axisymmetry of its external magnetic…
The Cassini spacecraft's last orbits directly sampled Saturn's thermosphere and revealed a much more chemically complex environment than previously believed. Observations from the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) aboard Cassini…
Titan's stratosphere has been observed in a superrotation state, where the atmosphere rotates many times faster than the surface does. Another characteristics of Titan's atmosphere is the presence of thick haze layer. In this paper, we…
Titan is one of the more distinctive bodies in our solar system. In addition to being the largest of Saturn's moons, its thick atmosphere gene-rates interest because of its similarities and differences with Earth [1, 2]. Like Earth, Titan's…
In this work we study in a general view slow rotating planets as Venus or Titan which present superrotating winds in their atmospheres. We are interested in understanding what mechanisms are candidates to be sources of net angular momentum…
Using adaptive optics on the W.M. Keck II telescope we imaged Titan several times during 1999 to 2001 in narrowband near-infrared filters selected to probe Titan's stratosphere and upper troposphere. We observed a bright feature around the…