EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Cheng 1987
Cheng, A.F. (1987). Proton and oxygen plasmas at Uranus. Journal of Geophysical Research 92: doi: 10.1029/JA080i013p15309. issn: 0148-0227.

Despite the presence of several large, icy moons within the Uranian magnetosphere, the Voyager 2 spacecraft did not detect any heavy ion plasma. This paper estimates the heavy ion density that would be consistent with a heavy neutral torus formed by photosputtering, charged particle sputtering, and micrometeoroid impact vaporization of icy surfaces on the moons, taking into account the large 60¿ angle between the satellite orbit plane and the magnetic equator. The expected heavy ion density is unobservably small. The observed proton plasma of the inner magnetosphere can be maintained by ionization of the atomic hydrogen corona and by the ionospheric proton source driven by photoelectron escape, for a plasma resisdence time of ~30 days. These two proton sources are comparable near L=5. The same 30-day residence time for energetic protons implies an upper limit of 10-5 on the fraction of incident solar wind protons that enter the magnetosphere and penetrate to within L<6 while conserving their first adiabatic invariants.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit