Interaction of singly charged interstellar helium ions with the solar wind.
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Wu, C. S.↗
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Planetary magnetism in the outer solar system.
A brief review of the salient considerations which apply to the existence of magnetic fields in connection with planetary and subplanetary objects in the outer solar system is given. Consideration is given to internal dynamo fields, fields which might originate from interaction with the solar wind or magnetospheres (externally driven dynamos) and lastly fossil magnetic fields such as have been discovered on the moon. Where possible, connection is made between magnetism, means of detection, and internal body properties.
Sonett, C. P.↗
Water vapor from a lunar breccia - Implications for evolving planetary atmospheres.
The exposure of a typical complex lunar breccia to hydrogen after a through outgassing produces a fully reduced surface state. Subsequent outgassing over a wide temperature range results in the production of water vapor formed from the chemisorbed hydrogen and oxygen from the lunar sample; the proposed mechanism has been confirmed in terms of the chemisorption of deuterium and the release of heavy water. Since the conditions of the experiments are consistent with those on the lunar surface, it is postulated that water vapor will be produced on the moon through the interaction of the solar wind with lunar soil. It is also proposed that such a process could play an important role in the early history of many planets where an oxygen-rich soil is exposed to a reducing atmosphere.
Cadenhead, D. A.↗
Pioneer Venus mission plan for atmospheric probes and an orbiter.
The mission concept is described for a spin-stabilized spacecraft being designed to deliver an array of aerodynamic probes over the surface of Venus, and, on a second flight mission, to inject the spacecraft into a Venusian orbit. Large and Small Probes and the instrumented 'Bus' structure will enter the Venusian atmosphere and directly measure its characteristics. An orbiting configuration of the same basic Bus spacecraft will serve as a platform from which to examine the planetary environment, the outer atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind, as well as surface topography. The orbital mission will extend over a complete revolution of the planet around the sun and around its own axis. Requirements for cost effectiveness and firm adherence within early cost projections are emphatic program guidelines which affect every major element of the mission plan and conceptual design.
Dyer, J. W.↗
Oblique structure of Jupiter's bow shock.
Description of the Pioneer 10 flyby trajectory to the nominal bow shock of Jupiter. The analogy between the earth's and Jupiter's bow shocks is extended to include some structural features associated with oblique plasma shocks. A question of special interest to be answered by Pioneer 10 is to what extent results regarding the earth's bow shock structure can be extrapolated, qualitatively and quantitatively, to Jupiter's interaction with the solar wind.
Greenstadt, E. W.↗
Jupiter's outer atmosphere.
The current state of the theory of Jupiter's outer atmosphere is briefly reviewed. The similarities and dissimilarities between the terrestrial and Jovian upper atmospheres are discussed, including the interaction of the solar wind with the planetary magnetic fields. Estimates of Jovian parameters are given, including magnetosphere and auroral zone sizes, ionospheric conductivity, energy inputs, and solar wind parameters at Jupiter. The influence of the large centrifugal force on the cold plasma distribution is considered. The Jovian Van Allen belt is attributed to solar wind particles diffused in toward the planet by dynamo electric fields from ionospheric neutral winds, and the consequences of this theory are indicated.
Brice, N. M.↗
Search by Mariner 10 for electrons and protons accelerated in association with Venus
Results of a search, with the aid of Mariner 10, for electrons and protons produced by acceleration occurring from the interaction of the solar wind and interplanetary field with the Venusian ionosphere. No evidence was found for Venus-associated particle fluxes with instrumentation capable of measuring flux variations approximately 1000 times smaller than those of the Mariner 5 detectors for charged particles, although the Mariner 10 measurements were made in the presence of an interplanetary particle flux that was extremely stable and characteristic of minimum solar activity. In addition, no evidence was obtained for electron or proton fluxes in the vicinity of the planet, nor any evidence for electron bursts in or near the observed bow shock, thus giving rise to the conclusion that Venus has no magnetosphere.-
Simpson, J. A.↗
Venus ionosphere - An interpretation of Mariner 10 observations
The dayside ionosphere of Venus observed by Mariner 10 may be understood in terms of a dynamic interaction with the solar wind which results in a compressed topside above an 'F2 ledge' consisting of O(+) and a dynamically unaffected F1 layer corresponding to a neutral temperature of about 380 K and consisting of O2(+) and CO2(+). The top of the upper ledge appears to be an ionopause caused by solar wind scavenging of He(+), representing a solar-wind obstacle consistent with the bow shock observations.
Bauer, S. J.↗
Magnetic measurements in model experiments
Plasma parameters for modeling of the interaction between the solar wind and the earth's magnetic field are selected on the limited modeling principle (plasma velocity 3 x 10 to the 7th power cm/sec, density 10 to the 13th power cm/3, electron temperature approximately 15 eV). Measurements were made with magnetic probes capable of developing all 3 components inside the magnetic field. The resulting magnetic field charts indicate that a neutral layer forms on the night side in the model experiments. A magnetosphere free of plasma streams is established on the daytime side. A shock wave forms on the boundary of the magnetosphere, its width c/omega sub 0 in accordance with theory, where omega sub 0 is the total Langmuir width.
Dubinin, E. M.↗
Preliminary model studies of the magnetosphere of Jupiter: Pioneer 10
Observations of the Jovian magnetic field and its interaction with the solar wind plasma were made while the Pioneer 10 spacecraft was within about 100 R sub j of the planet. The magnetosphere was found to be severely stretched due to the presence of an intense current sheet, which was particularly evident during the outbound passage of Pioneer 10 near the dawn terminator. Plots of the angle between the orientation of the outbound field and the radius vector from the planet to the spacecraft showed a strong tendency for the field to become radial at large distances from the planet. A similar trend has also been seen in both the inbound and outbound Pioneer 11 data. Preliminary work on a mathematical model of the magnetosphere of Jupiter is given, based upon the Pioneer 10 outbound data. Some of the implications of the radial field configuration inferred from the Pioneer 10 and 11 data are also discussed.
Jones, D. E.↗
Substorms on Mercury?
Qualitative similarities between some of the variations in the Mercury encounter data and variations in the corresponding regions of the earth's magnetosphere during substorms are pointed out. The Mariner 10 data on Mercury show a strong interaction between the solar wind and the plant similar to a scaled down version of that for the earth's magnetosphere. Some of the features observed in the night side Mercury magnetosphere suggest time dependent processes occurring there.
Siscoe, G. L.↗
Magnetospheres of earth and Jupiter after Pioneer 10
Possible reasons are discussed for the marked differences observed between the magnetospheres of earth and Jupiter, and a model of Jupiter's magnetosphere is proposed which can explain the observations of the Pioneer 10 mission. It is shown that the corotating plasma in Jupiter's plasmasphere is in the form of a flattened disk due to inertial forces and that Jupiter's magnetosphere is, in part, a rigidly rotating warped skew 'magnetodisk'. According to the proposed model, the inner part of the magnetosphere consists of a warped magnetodisk, the dipole field lines are modified by a ring current, and the equatorial plasma density increases with distance in the region beyond the synchronous orbit radius. Considerable attention is given to the effects resulting from spiraling of the magnetic-field lines, the tilt in the magnetic dipole, and the strong viscous interaction of the solar wind on the dawn side of the magnetosphere.
Prakash, A.↗
The Pioneer 10 plasma analyzer results at Jupiter
Results are reported for the Pioneer 10 plasma-analyzer experiment at Jupiter. The analyzer system consisted of dual 90-deg quadrispherical electrostatic analyzers, multiple charged-particle detectors, and attendant electronics; it was capable of determining the incident plasma-distribution parameters over the energy range from 100 to 18,000 eV for protons and from approximately 1 to 500 eV for electrons. Data are presented on the interaction between the solar wind and the Jovian magnetosphere, the interplanetary ion flux, observations of the magnetosheath plasma, and traversals of the bow shock and magnetopause. Values are estimated for the proton isotropic temperature, number density, and bulk velocity within the magnetosheath flow field as well as for the beta parameter, ion number density, and magnetic-energy density of the magnetospheric plasma. It is argued that Jupiter has a reasonably thick magnetosphere somewhat similar to earth's except for the vastly different scale sizes involved.
Wolfe, J. H.↗
The Apollo lunar surface experiment package suprathermal ion detector experiment
A compilation of reports and scientific papers is presented for the following topics: (1) the lunar ionosphere; (2) electric potential of the lunar surface; (3) ion activity on the lunar nightside; (4) bow shock protons; (5) magnetosheath and magnetotail; (6) solar wind-neutral gas cloud interactions at the lunar surface; (7) penetrating solar particles; and (8) rocket exhaust products from Apollo missions. Descriptions and photographs of ion detecting equipment at the lunar sites of Apollo 12, 13, 14, and 15 are given.
Source record↗
Substorms on Mercury
The Mariner 10 encounter of Mercury provided data showing a stron interaction between the solar wind and the planet similar to a scaled down version of that producing the earth's magnetosphere. Some of the features observed in Mercury's night side magnetosphere suggest time-dependent processes occurring there. Interpreted as temporal events, these features bear striking resemblances to substorm phenomena in the earth's magnetosphere.
Siscoe, G. L.↗
Mercury's atmosphere - A perspective after Mariner 10
Implications of Mariner 10 observations are discussed regarding the composition and structure of Mercury's atmosphere as well as its interaction with the solar wind. The Mariner 10 data cited indicate that Mercury's atmosphere is apparently similar to that on the moon. It is shown that helium could be supplied to the atmosphere either by the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium in the planetary crust or by accretion of a small fraction of the solar-wind flux. It is noted that the absence of argon could be explained by a potassium-deficient crust, but this conclusion is by no means firm. Upper limits for outgassing of H2O and CO2 are estimated which suggest that either the planet is deficient in volatiles or is relatively inactive in comparison with earth.
Kumar, S.↗
Observations at the planet Mercury by the plasma electron experiment, Mariner 10
Plasma electron observations made onboard Mariner 10 are reported. Three encounters with the planet Mercury show that the planet interacts with the solar wind to form a bow shock and a permanent magnetosphere. The observations provide a determination of the dimensions and properties of the magnetosphere, independently of and in general agreement with magnetometer observations. The magnetosphere of Mercury appears to be similar in shape to that of the Earth but much smaller in relation to the size of the planet. Electron populations similar to those found in the Earth's magnetotail, within the plasma sheet and adjacent regions, were observed at Mercury; both their spatial location and the electron energy spectra within them bear qualitative and quantitative resemblance to corresponding observations at the Earth. The magnetosphere of Mercury resembles to a marked degree a reduced version of that of the Earth, with no significant differences of structure.
Ogilvie, K. W.↗
Report of the Terrestrial Bodies Science Working Group. Volume 8: The comets
The determination of the nuclear and atmospheric properties of comets, and the interaction of the solar wind with the comet tail are scientific objectives for a mission to one or more comets in the next decade. Recommended priorities for direct cometary exploration are listed.
Brandt, J. C.↗