HR: 0800h
AN: AE31A-0038    [Abstracts]
TI: Atmospheric Electricity Measurements on the Proposed European Venus Explorer Mission
AU: * Aplin, K L
EM: k.l.aplin@rl.ac.uk
AF: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Space Science and Technology Department, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
AU: Chassefiere, E
EM: Eric.Chassefiere@aero.jussieu.fr
AF: Service d'Aéronomie/ Pôle Système Solaire de l'IPSL Service d'Aéronomie/ Pôle Système Solaire de l'IPSL, Université P & M Curie, Aile 45-46, 4ème étage, boîte 102 4 place Jussieu, Paris, 75252, France
AU: Ferencz, C
EM: spacerg@sas.elte.hu
AF: Eotvos University, Space Resarch Group Pázmány Péter sétány 1/a, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
AU: Lopez-Moreno, J J
EM: lopez@iaa.es
AF: Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Camino Bajo de Huetor, 24 Apartado 3004, Granada, 18080, Spain
AU: Skalsky, A
EM: skalsky@iki.rssi.ru
AF: Space Research Institute (IKI) Space Research Institute (IKI), Profsoyuznaya 84/32, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation
AU: Svertilov, S
EM: sis@coronas.ru
AF: Moscow State University (SINP MSU), Skobeltsin Institute of Nuclear Physics, Leniskii Gori, Moscow, 199992, Russian Federation
AU: Wilson, C
EM: wilson@atm.ox.ac.uk
AF: University of Oxford, Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
AB: The European Venus Explorer (EVE) mission has been proposed to the European Space Agency as part of their Cosmic Vision programme. It comprises an orbiter, balloon and descent probe to provide detailed measurements of the atmosphere's physical and chemical properties. The proposed combination of in situ measurements, with an orbiter for remote sensing, will constrain cloud microphysics and contribute to the study of Venus' climate and radiative balance, in addition to providing detailed corroboration of existing observations. The electrical instrumentation is motivated by the lack of in situ measurements at Venus. It aims to elucidate the detailed nature of any discharges, and determine the role of atmospheric electricity in chemical and transport processes (e.g. through the formation of trace species by lightning). Measurements of non-lightning atmospheric electrical processes on Venus will also contribute to understanding of trace gas chemistry, transport processes, and even cloud formation. The EVE orbiter will carry an electromagnetic instrumentation suite comprising a wave analyser, a camera to identify upper atmosphere discharges, thought to be likely on Venus, and a detector searching for gamma-ray bursts associated with electrical activity. The EVE balloon will carry optical lightning detectors and an electromagnetic event counter. This unique instrumentation will permit synchronous detection of atmospheric electrical events both optically, electrical and via gamma-ray bursts. Ionization by cosmic rays, which can penetrate to the surface of Venus, is a lightning-independent source of atmospheric charge, which will produce molecular cluster-ions, charged aerosols, and consequently atmospheric electric fields and a finite air conductivity. In addition to the lightning detectors, the EVE balloon will carry a permittivity instrument, which will detect the "fair weather" electrical properties (conductivity, electric field) from which ion and aerosol characteristics can be inferred.
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3346 Planetary meteorology (5445, 5739)
DE: 5405 Atmospheres (0343, 1060)
DE: 5445 Meteorology (3346)
DE: 6295 Venus
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting