Magnetic Reconnection on Dayside Crustal Magnetic Fields at Mars: MAVEN Observations

Harada, Yuki; Halekas, J. S.; DiBraccio, G. A.; Xu, Shaosui; Espley, J. R.; McFadden, J. P.; Mitchell, D. L.; Mazelle, C.; Brain, David; Hara, Takuya; J., Y.; Ruhunusiri, S.; Jakosky, B. M.

doi:10.1002/2018gl077281

Cited by 50 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Recently, MAVEN data have provided the first comprehensive example of dayside magnetic reconnection at Mars (Harada et al, 2018). Recently, MAVEN data have provided the first comprehensive example of dayside magnetic reconnection at Mars (Harada et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The strongest crustal sources are located near 180°E longitude (Connerney et al, 2001) and rotate with the planet, creating an ever-changing obstacle to the upstream solar wind. Furthermore, these planetary fields are able to undergo magnetic reconnection with the impinging IMF (Brain, 2006;Halekas et al, 2009;Harada et al, 2018). This occurrence of reconnection introduces new field topologies and electric currents throughout the system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Twisted Configuration of the Martian Magnetotail: MAVEN Observations

DiBraccio

Luhmann

Curry

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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110

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Measurements provided by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft are analyzed to investigate the Martian magnetotail configuration as a function of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) BY. We find that the magnetotail lobes exhibit a ~45° twist, either clockwise or counterclockwise from the ecliptic plane, up to a few Mars radii downstream. Moreover, the associated cross‐tail current sheet is rotated away from the expected location for a Venus‐like induced magnetotail based on nominal IMF draping. Data‐model comparisons using magnetohydrodynamic simulations are in good agreement with the observed tail twist. Model field line tracings indicate that a majority of the twisted tail lobes are composed of open field lines, surrounded by draped IMF. We infer that dayside magnetic reconnection between the crustal fields and draped IMF creates these open fields and may be responsible for the twisted tail configuration, similar to what is observed at Earth.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Twisted Configuration of the Martian Magnetotail: MAVEN Observations

DiBraccio

Luhmann

Curry

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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110

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“…Over the dayside strong crustal regions, however, open field lines, instead of draped field lines, become the dominant magnetic topology during the high dynamic pressure period, implying more reconnection occurring between the dayside IMF and crustal magnetic fields (e.g., Harada, Halekas, et al, ) during the ICME event. This finding confirms MHD's predictions of more open field lines during ICME events by Luhmann et al () and Xu, Fang, et al (), also illustrated in the schematics in Figure .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic Topology Response to the 2003 Halloween ICME Event at Mars

Curry

Mitchell

et al. 2019

JGR Space Physics

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Understanding how the Mars plasma environment responds to space weather events provides insights into the early Sun‐Mars interaction and helps constrain the extrapolation of atmospheric loss back in time. The 2003 Halloween interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) event is one of the most extreme space weather events encountered by Mars during the last two decades. Mars Global Surveyor's circular orbit at ∼400 km allows us to observationally study the magnetic topology response to this extreme event globally for the first time. We analyze the suprathermal electron data and magnetic field measurements from Mars Global Surveyor to infer magnetic topology before, during, and after this ICME event and quantify the variation of the topology over both weak and strong crustal regions and correlate the variation with the upstream dynamic pressure. Over weak crustal regions, more draped field lines and fewer closed field lines are observed under high dynamic pressures, implying a deeper interplanetary magnetic field penetration during the ICME event. Over dayside strong crustal regions, the dominant magnetic topology switches from closed field lines during quiet periods to open field lines during disturbed periods, suggesting more reconnection occurring between the crustal magnetic fields and interplanetary magnetic field. This mixed magnetic topological response is consistent with predictions from magnetohydrodynamic simulations for ICME events in previous studies.

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“…Mars is unique among terrestrial planets in its possession of multiple magnetic anomalies of small spatial scale in the crust (e.g., Acuna et al, , ; Connerney et al, ), which leads to a complex pattern of ambient magnetic field configuration in the vicinity of the planet (e.g., Harada et al, ; Lillis et al, ; Mitchell et al, ; Weber et al, ; Xu, Mitchell, Liemohn, et al, , Xu, Mitchell, Luhmann, et al, ). The dayside and nightside mappings of both the magnetic field strength and elevation angle are displayed in Figure , extracted from the MAVEN Magnetometer level 2 data at 350–450 km (Connerney et al, ).…”

Section: Impacts Of the Magnetic Field Configurationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Morphology of the Topside Martian Ionosphere: Implications on Bulk Ion Flow

Cui

et al. 2019

JGR Planets

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Prior to the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission, the only information on the composition of the Martian ionosphere came from the Viking Retarding Potential Analyzer data, revealing the presence of substantial ion outflow on the dayside of Mars. Extensive measurements made by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer allow us to examine the morphology of the Martian ionosphere not only in unprecedented detail but also on both the dayside and the nightside of the planet. Above 300 km, various ionospheric species present a roughly constant density scale height around 100 km on the dayside and 180 km on the nightside. An evaluation of the ion force balance, appropriate for regions with near‐horizontal magnetic field lines, suggests the presence of supersonic ion outflow predominantly driven by the ambient magnetic pressure, with characteristic dayside and nightside flow velocities of 4 and 20 km/s, respectively, both referred to an altitude of 500 km. The corresponding total ion outflow rates are estimated to be 5 × 1025 s−1 on the dayside and 1 × 1025 s−1 on the nightside. The data also indicate a prominent variation with magnetic field orientation in that the ion distribution over regions with near‐vertical field lines tends to be more extended on the dayside but more concentrated on the nightside, as compared to regions with near‐horizontal field lines. These observations should have important implications on the pattern of ion dynamics in the vicinity of Mars.

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Magnetic Reconnection on Dayside Crustal Magnetic Fields at Mars: MAVEN Observations

Cited by 50 publications

References 45 publications

The Twisted Configuration of the Martian Magnetotail: MAVEN Observations

The Twisted Configuration of the Martian Magnetotail: MAVEN Observations

Magnetic Topology Response to the 2003 Halloween ICME Event at Mars

The Morphology of the Topside Martian Ionosphere: Implications on Bulk Ion Flow

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