Titan’s interaction with the Saturnian magnetosphere

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In this thesis, a combination of data analysis and test particle simulations is used in order to study several aspects of the complex interaction of Titan with the Saturnian magnetosphere. Data from the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) and the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) on board Cassini are analysed in order to address three specific subjects: (1) the energetic environment at Titan’s orbit, (2) the effect that the draping of the field lines around Titan has on the access of charged energetic particles and the subsequent ionisation of the atmosphere and (3) the atmospheric loss through the pickup process. Test particle simulations in combination with fields obtained from hybrid simulations are used to study the regions where the spacecraft was not able to obtain measurements during the specific periods studied.