SP18
Planetary Upper Atmospheres and Ionospheres and their coupling with Magnetospheres

Main Organiser
Anil Bhardwaj
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum
anilbhardwaj@sancharnet.in

Co-Organiser(s)
G. Randall Gladstone
Southwest Research Institute
Department of Space Sciences, Southwest Research Institute
randy.gladstone@swri.org

Brief Description
The solar system contains a variety of planetary bodies, which present unique and interesting combinations of atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere systems. Recent observations from various missions, spacecraft, and ground-based and orbiting observatories (supplemented by theoretical models) have made important contributions to our understanding of these systems and their interconnections, but have also led to new and interesting puzzles. This symposium will address observational, theoretical and modeling studies pertaining to processes occurring in the upper atmospheres and ionospheres of planetary bodies; specifically, inner and outer planets, comets, and planetary satellites with atmospheres, and their coupling with magnetospheres. The session will encourage presentations that use a comparative approach to phenomena occurring in different planetary environments and will include both invited and contributed presentations. Innovative experimental techniques and ideas for missions to study atmosphere-magnetosphere systems on planetary bodies will also be welcome.