The Mini Induced Magnetospheres at Mars
Fraenz, M.
Pätzold, M.
Tellmann, S.
DiBraccio, G.
McFadden, J.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102324
Persistent URL: http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gldocs-11858/11299
Pätzold, M.; 2 Rheinisches Institut fuer Umweltforschung Abteilung Planetforschung Cologne Germany
Tellmann, S.; 2 Rheinisches Institut fuer Umweltforschung Abteilung Planetforschung Cologne Germany
DiBraccio, G.; 3 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USA
McFadden, J.; 4 Space Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
Abstract
We report on observations made by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft at Mars, in the region of the ion plume. We observe that in some cases, when the number density of oxygen ions is comparable to the density of the solar wind protons interaction between both plasmas leads to formation in the magnetosheath of mini induced magnetospheres possessing all typical features of induced magnetospheres typically observed at Mars or Venus: a pileup of the magnetic field at the head of the ion cloud, magnetospheric cavity, partially void of solar wind protons, draping of the interplanetary magnetic field around the mini obstacle, formation of a magnetic tail with a current sheet, in which protons are accelerated by the magnetic field tensions. These new observations may shed a light on the mechanism of formation of induced magnetospheres.
Plain Language Summary: There is a class of the induced planetary magnetospheres when the absence of intrinsic magnetic field allows a direct interaction of solar wind with planetary atmospheres/ionospheres. We have shown the existence of mini‐induced magnetospheres at Mars. When the density of the extracted from the ionosphere oxygen ions becomes comparable with the proton density in solar wind mini‐induced magnetospheres with all typical features of the planetary induced magnetospheres arise.
Key Points:
Oxygen ions extracted from the Martian ionosphere interact with shocked solar wind in the magnetosheath.
When the ion densities of both plasmas become comparable the mini induced magnetospheres are built.
These Magnetospheres possess all typical features of the classical induced magnetospheres.