Fluctuations in the Venusian Ionosphere and Their Effect on Venus Express Lightning Detection Rates

Abstract:

Venus Express completed its nearly 9 year campaign at Earth’s sister planet in late 2014. During this period the onboard fluxgate magnetometer collected data up to 64 Hz in frequency near periapsis. This is the expected frequency range for lightning-generated whistler-mode waves at Venus, between the local electron (~100 Hz) and ion gyrofrequencies (~1 Hz). These waves are right-hand circularly polarized and are guided by the local magnetic field. When the Venusian ionopause is low enough to reside in the collisional region, the interplanetary magnetic field can get carried down with the ions and magnetize the lower ionosphere. As the field travels towards terminator it gains a radial component, enabling whistlers to reach higher altitudes and be detected by the spacecraft.

The mission covered almost an entire solar cycle and frequently observed a magnetized ionosphere during the solar minimum phase when the ionosphere was weak due to reduced incident EUV. In addition, the detection rate of whistler-mode signals varied with the solar cycle. Here, we examine the changes in the ionospheric properties associated with the evolution of the solar cycle and the rate of detection of these lightning-generated signals.