The wakes and magnetotails of Mars and Venus

Lundin, R.; Barabash, S.

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2003.07.054

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…While this process tends to create an induced magnetic tail formed by two lobes of opposite magnetic polarity separated by a current sheet, additional effects due to the presence of crustal magnetic fields (CF; Acuña et al, 1999) give rise to a more complex magnetic field topology in this region. Such complexity has led to a large amount of observational studies on the properties and dynamics of the Martian magnetotail, based on various space missions (e.g., Artemyev et al, 2017;DiBraccio et al, 2015DiBraccio et al, , 2017Dubinin & Fraenz, 2015;Dubinin et al, 1991;Luhmann et al, 1991Luhmann et al, , 2015Lundin & Barabash, 2004;Romanelli et al, 2015;Vaisberg, 1992;Yeroshenko et al, 1990;Zhang et al, 1994). In addition, different theoretical approaches have been used to describe this particular plasma environment and, more generally, to determine magnetotail properties associated with nominal draping of the magnetic field lines (see, e.g., Chacko & Hassam, 1997;Ma et al, 2004;Modolo et al, 2012;Naor & Keshet, 2015;Romanelli et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Crustal Magnetic Fields and Changes in the IMF Orientation on the Magnetosphere of Mars: MAVEN Observations and LatHyS Results

et al. 2018

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The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Mission (MAVEN) is currently probing the complex Martian environment. Although main structures arising from the interaction between the solar wind (SW) and the induced magnetosphere of Mars can be described using a steady state picture, time‐dependent physical processes modify the response of this obstacle. These processes result from temporal variabilities in the internal and/or external electromagnetic fields and plasma properties. Indeed, the crustal magnetic fields (CF) rotation constantly modifies the intrinsic magnetic field topology relative to the SW. Moreover, the magnetosphere's state is also modified by changes in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). In this work we analyze MAVEN magnetic field and plasma measurements obtained on 23 December 2014, between 06:00 UT and 14:15 UT. These measurements suggest that the external conditions remained approximately constant when MAVEN was inside the magnetosphere during the first orbit. In contrast, MAVEN observed changes in the IMF orientation before visiting the magnetosphere during the second orbit. To investigate the response of the Martian plasma environment to the CF rotation and IMF variability, we also perform hybrid simulations, using MAVEN observations to set SW external conditions. Simulation results are compared with the MAVEN measurements and show good agreement. Associated recovery timescales of different magnetospheric regions are found to range between ∼ 10 s and ∼ 10 min. Finally, we do not observe large variability in the total planetary H+ and O+ escape rates at different times during this event, although a correlation between the latter and the CF location is identified.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Crustal Magnetic Fields and Changes in the IMF Orientation on the Magnetosphere of Mars: MAVEN Observations and LatHyS Results

et al. 2018

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“…Luhmann et al [1991] found that the Martian tail is less severely draped than that of Venus, with an average flaring angle of 23°at a distance of 2.7 R M downtail (where R M is the radius of Mars, or 3397 km) and a more extensive study by Zhang et al [1994] demonstrated that this tail flaring is strongly controlled by upstream solar wind pressure, similar to the dynamics at Earth. A review by Lundin and Barabash [2004] addressed several other similarities between the magnetotails of Earth and Mars, including a high-density plasma sheet and an enhanced field strength associated with the lobes. In an analysis of Mars Global Surveyor data, Romanelli et al [2015] showed that the orientation and spatial extent of the Martian magnetotail lobes are highly dependent on the IMF direction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MAVEN observations of tail current sheet flapping at Mars

et al. 2017

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The Martian magnetotail is a complex regime through which atmospheric particles are lost to space. Our current understanding of Mars' tail continues to develop with the comprehensive particle and field data collected by Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN). In this work, we identify periods when MAVEN encounters multiple current sheet crossings through a single tail traversal in order to understand tail dynamics. We apply an analysis technique that has been developed and validated by using multipoint measurements in order to separate the spatial and temporal properties associated with current sheet flapping. Events are classified into periods of steady flapping, due to a global motion of the current sheet, and kink‐like flapping, resulting from localized wave propagation along the tail current sheet. Out of 106 periods during which multiple current sheet crossings were observed, 20 were due to steady flapping and 10 from kink‐like flapping. A majority of the kink‐like events resulted from waves propagating in the opposite direction of the solar wind convection electric field, regardless of their location in the tail, unlike at Earth and Venus. This finding suggests that possible magnetosphere energy sources, whereby plasma is accelerated and removed from the Martian environment, are not located in the central magnetotail; rather, these waves may be driven by a source located at the tail flank based on the direction of the solar wind electric field. Therefore, by identifying potential sources of impulsive energy release in the tail, we may better understand mechanisms that drive atmospheric loss at Mars.

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“…The cross-tail Martian CS and the surrounding plasma sheet consist of escaping planetary ions accelerated up to a few keV/q (e.g., Barabash et al, 2007;Carlsson et al, 2006;Dubinin et al, 1991Dubinin et al, , 1993Dubinin et al, , 2006Dubinin et al, , 2011Fedorov et al, 2006;Lundin et al, 1989Lundin et al, , 1990Lundin & Barabash, 2004;Yeroshenko et al, 1990). The distinct feature of the CS ion composition is the abundance of hot heavy ions (e.g., Fedorov et al, 2006;Lundin et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Imprints of Quasi‐Adiabatic Ion Dynamics on the Current Sheet Structures Observed in the Martian Magnetotail by MAVEN

et al. 2017

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Numerous studies of the current sheets (CS) in the Earth's magnetotail showed that quasi‐adiabatic ion dynamics plays an important role in the formation of complicated multilayered current structures. In order to check whether the similar mechanisms operate in the Martian magnetotail, we analyzed 80 CS crossings using MAVEN measurements on the nightside of Mars at radial distances ~1.0–2.8RM. We found that CS structures experience similar dependence on the value of the normal component of the magnetic field at the neutral plane (BN) and on the ratio of the ion drift velocity outside the CS to the thermal velocity (VT/VD) as it was observed for the CSs in the Earth's magnetotail. For the small values of BN, a thin and intense CS embedded in a thicker one is observed. The half‐thickness L of this layer is ~30–100 km ≤ ρH+ (ρH+ is a gyroradius of thermal protons outside the CS). With the increase of BN, the L also increases up to several hundred kilometers (~ρO+, ρO2+), the current density decreases, and the embedding feature disappears. Our statistical analysis showed a good agreement between L values observed by MAVEN and the CS scaling obtained from the quasi‐adiabatic model, if the plasma characteristics in Martian CSs are used as input parameters. Thus, we may conclude that in spite of the differences in magnetic topology, ion composition, and plasma thermal characteristics observed in the Earth's and Martian magnetotails, similar quasi‐adiabatic mechanisms contribute to the formation of the CSs in the magnetotails of both planets.

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The wakes and magnetotails of Mars and Venus

Cited by 17 publications

References 29 publications

Effects of the Crustal Magnetic Fields and Changes in the IMF Orientation on the Magnetosphere of Mars: MAVEN Observations and LatHyS Results

Effects of the Crustal Magnetic Fields and Changes in the IMF Orientation on the Magnetosphere of Mars: MAVEN Observations and LatHyS Results

MAVEN observations of tail current sheet flapping at Mars

Imprints of Quasi‐Adiabatic Ion Dynamics on the Current Sheet Structures Observed in the Martian Magnetotail by MAVEN

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