Magnetic and plasma environment

C. BERTUCCI ET AL.

Titan after Cassini-Huygens

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Año: 2024; p. 1 - 420

Cassini observations confirmed that Titan lacks a substantial intrinsic magnetic field and provided a new upper limit to any potential intrinsic magnetic field to 1.3x1020 Gauss cm3. Consistently, an induced magnetosphere compatible with an atmospheric plasma interaction was detected. Furthermore, Cassini observations revealed that the variability of Titan´s magnetic and plasma environment is unparalleled in the solar system. The moon not only interacts with the plasma from the lobes and the current sheet of Saturn´s magnetosphere, but also with the solar wind plasma in Saturn’s magnetosheath and outside Saturn’s bow shock. The timescales associated with relevant changes in Titan interaction scenarios are: Saturn´s seasons (years), Titan´s orbital period (days), and Saturn´s rotation period and solar wind dynamic pressure enhancements (hours). In this chapter we summarize the results obtained on the several components of this exceptionally complex system, from Cassini observations and numerical simulations. We also assess the impact of Titan´s interaction in the loss of its atmosphere and the dynamics of the Saturnian plasma system.