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- Title
An Explanation of the Nightside Ionospheric Structure of Venus.
- Authors
Brecht, Stephen H.; Ledvina, Stephen A.
- Abstract
Hybrid simulations of Venus have produced nightside structure. It is believed these are the first simulations to produce the structure reported by spacecraft such as the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO). The simulations reveal that the structure is created by the ∇ Pe ambipolar electric field when it aligns with local IMF (interplanetary magnetic field) direction. Thus, the orientation of the IMF in and near the ionosphere controls where on the nightside the tail structure will occur. The structure size and density is found to agree well with that measured by the PVO spacecraft. Further, comparisons with ion energy and velocity distributions also agree well with the summary conclusions from a variety of PVO papers and with some nightside observations by Venus Express. The agreement between the data and simulations lends confidence that the simulation results have merit.
- Subjects
VENUSIAN ionosphere; INTERPLANETARY magnetic fields; OBSERVATIONS of Venus; ION energy; VELOCITY distribution (Statistical mechanics); SOLAR wind; ASTROPHYSICAL electric fields; SPACE vehicles
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, 2021, Vol 126, Issue 2, p1
- ISSN
2169-9380
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2020JA027779