Bibliography

Plasma-neutral gas interactions in various space environments: Assessment beyond simplified approximations as a Voyage 2050 theme

In the White Paper, submitted in response to the European Space Agency (ESA) Voyage 2050 Call, we present the importance of advancing our knowledge of plasma-neutral gas interactions, and of deepening our understanding of the partially ionized environments that are ubiquitous in the upper atmospheres of planets and moons, and elsewhere in space. In future space missions, the above task requires addressing the following fundamental questions: (A) How and by how much do plasma-neutral gas interactions influence the re-distribution of externally provided energy to the composing species? (B) How and by how much do plasma-neutral gas interactions contribute toward the growth of heavy complex molecules and biomolecules? Answering these questions is an absolute prerequisite for addressing the long-standing questions of atmospheric escape, the origin of biomolecules, and their role in the evolution of planets, moons, or comets, under the influence of energy sources in the form of electromagnetic and corpuscular radiation, because low-energy ion-neutral cross-sections in space cannot be reproduced quantitatively in laboratories for conditions of satisfying, particularly, (1) low-temperatures, (2) tenuous or strong gradients or layered media, and (3) in low-gravity plasma. Measurements with a minimum core instrument package (\textless 15 kg) can be used to perform such investigations in many different conditions and should be included in all deep-space missions. These investigations, if specific ranges of background parameters are considered, can also be pursued for Earth, Mars, and Venus.

Yamauchi, Masatoshi; De Keyser, Johan; Parks, George; Oyama, Shin-ichiro; Wurz, Peter; Abe, Takumi; Beth, Arnaud; Daglis, Ioannis; Dandouras, Iannis; Dunlop, Malcolm; Henri, Pierre; Ivchenko, Nickolay; Kallio, Esa; Kucharek, Harald; Liu, Yong; Mann, Ingrid; Marghitu, Octav; Nicolaou, Georgios; Rong, Zhaojin; Sakanoi, Takeshi; Saur, Joachim; Shimoyama, Manabu; Taguchi, Satoshi; Tian, Feng; Tsuda, Takuo; Tsurutani, Bruce; Turner, Drew; Ulich, Thomas; Yau, Andrew; Yoshikawa, Ichiro;

Published by: Experimental Astronomy      Published on: mar

YEAR: 2022     DOI: 10.1007/s10686-022-09846-9

Collision cross-section; Future missions; Low-energy; Neutral gas; Plasma; Voyage 2050

Solar illumination control of ionospheric outflow above polar cap arcs

We measure the flux density, composition, and energy of outflowing ions above the polar cap, accelerated by quasi-static electric fields parallel to the magnetic field and associated with polar cap arcs, using Cluster. Mapping the spacecraft position to its ionospheric foot point, we analyze the dependence of these parameters on the solar zenith angle (SZA). We find a clear transition at SZA between \~94\textdegree and \~107\textdegree, with the O⁺ flux higher above the sunlit ionosphere. This dependence on the illumination of the local ionosphere indicates that significant O⁺ upflow occurs locally above the polar ionosphere. The same is found for H⁺, but to a lesser extent. This effect can result in a seasonal variation of the total ion upflow from the polar ionosphere. Furthermore, we show that low-magnitude field-aligned potential drops are preferentially observed above the sunlit ionosphere, suggesting a feedback effect of ionospheric conductivity.

Maes, L.; Maggiolo, R.; De Keyser, J.; Dandouras, I.; Fear, R.; Fontaine, D.; Haaland, S.;

Published by: Geophysical Research Letters      Published on: 03/2015

YEAR: 2015     DOI: 10.1002/2014GL062972

cold ion outflow; ion upflow; polar cap arc; polar ionosphere; polar wind; solar illumination

A multi-point perspective on the formation of polar cap arcs: kinetic modeling and observations by Cluster and TIMED

de Keyser, JM; Maggiolo, R; Echim, M; Simon, C; Zhang, Y; Trotignon, J;

Published by:       Published on:

YEAR: 2010     DOI: