First observational evidence of plasma waves in the martian magnetosheath jet

Abstract

Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission reveals the existence of magnetosheath jets in the Martian plasma environment. The jets, which contrast with the surrounding plasma in the magnetosheath region, are transitory, locally limited plasma structures with high dynamic pressure. For the first time, MAVEN’s high-time resolution burst mode data are utilized to analyse plasma waves in these jets. Our investigation reveals the simultaneous presence of solitary waves, double layers, electron acoustic waves, and mirror modes. These waves in the Martian magnetosheath jets show similar wave characteristics to those observed in the Earth’s magnetosheath jets. These plasma wave observations will help us comprehend the genesis of jets in the Martian plasma environment as they are carriers of momentum and energy across different regions.