Titan at Saturn's magnetopause: CAPS results from T32

COATES, A. J.; MCANDREWS, H. J.; ARRIDGE, C. S.; JONES, G. H.; CRARY, F. J.; YOUNG, D. T.; SZEGO, K.; SITTLER, E. C.; THOMSEN, M. F.; TOKAR, R. L.; BERTUCCI, C.; DOUGHERTY, M. K.

Congreso; AGU Fall Meeting 2007; 2007

Titan spends most of its time inside Saturn's magnetosphere, thus most of Cassini's encounters to date have been with Titan surrounded by magnetospheric plasma. During the encounter on 13 June 2007, however, the magnetosheath was close enough that the encounter itself happened very close to the magnetopause. In this talk we present the upstream plasma conditions, and show the measured electron and ion spectra during this so far unique event. Magnetosphere and magnetosheath plasma are both clearly seen, and at times there are mixed populations. Titan's ionosphere is clearly distinguished by cold plasma, and very heavy negative ions are seen by CAPS ELS near closest approach. We discuss the plasma results and their implications.