Ion and electron momentum flux observed by Rosetta
SND-ID: snd1163-1. Version: 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5878/t0r1-2y39
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Creator/Principal investigator(s)
Hayley Williamson - Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF)
Research principal
Swedish Institute of Space Physics - Solar System Physics and Space Technology
Description
Data from the Rosetta mission has been used to study the momentum flux around comet 67P during the two years when the Rosetta spacecraft followed the comet, between August 2014 and September 2016. During this period, the comet first approached the Sun and its atmosphere and ionosphere grew until perihelion was reached. Thereafter the comet move further away from the Sun, and its atmosphere and ionosphere shrunk again. We show how the solar wind affects the comet ionosphere and how its dynamic pressure interacts with the ionosphere of the comet. A significant pressure is built up, magnetic and electron pressure and the momentum flux of cometary ions all become important. Close to the comet the electron pressure dominate, corresponding to a region where an expanding ionosphere can push away the solar wind. Around perihelion a cavity in the solar wind formed, where no solar wind ions are present. There was still a magnetic field, as well as water ions of cometary origin, that had been picked up by the solar wind upstream, and been accelerated back towards the comet. In the solar wind ion cavity
... Show more..CSV table of the ion, electron, and magnetic pressure for the time period August 2014 to October 2016. Columns are: mission time, cometary ion x, y, and z components of momentum flux, solar wind ion x, y, and z components of momentum flux, electron pressure, and magnetic pressure. The cometary ion and solar wind ion data was calculated using data from the Rosetta Ion Composition Analyzer. Electron pressure data was calculated from Langmuir probe and Mutual Impedance Probe data. Magnetic pressure data was calculated using magnetometer data. All data has been averaged over 12 hours of mission time. Show less..
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Time period(s) investigated
2014-08-01 – 2016-10-01
Variables
9
Data format / data structure
Responsible department/unit
Solar System Physics and Space Technology
Research area
Natural sciences (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)
Astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)
Meteorology and atmospheric sciences (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)
Climatology / meteorology / atmosphere (INSPIRE topic categories)
Keywords