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Ute V Möstl1, Nikolay V Erkaev, Michael Zellinger

  • 1Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, 8042 Graz, Austria.

Icarus
|February 21, 2012
PubMed
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The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is unlikely to cause significant ion loss at Venus's ionopause due to stabilizing density jumps. However, under high solar activity, it may contribute to ion loss at the induced magnetopause.

Area of Science:

  • Planetary Science
  • Plasma Physics
  • Space Physics

Background:

  • Kelvin-Helmholtz instability was hypothesized to cause ion loss at Venus.
  • Previous studies focused on the ionopause and its implications for Venus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the stability of Venus's induced magnetopause and ionopause.
  • Determine the role of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in planetary ion loss.

Main Methods:

  • Solved 2D magnetohydrodynamic equations using the Lax-Friedrichs algorithm.
  • Performed simulation runs with varied initial conditions representing Venus's boundary layers.

Main Results:

  • Kelvin-Helmholtz instability does not reach nonlinear vortex phase at the ionopause due to stabilizing density jumps.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Instability is also stabilized at the induced magnetopause during low solar activity.
  • Conditions favoring nonlinear instability evolution at the induced magnetopause were identified during high solar activity.

    • Conclusions:

    • Kelvin-Helmholtz instability's role in ion loss at Venus's ionopause is limited.
    • The instability may contribute to ion loss at the induced magnetopause under specific high solar activity conditions.
    • An upper limit growth rate for planetary oxygen ions was estimated at 7.6 × 10^25 s⁻¹.