Particle acceleration in the Venus plasma wake

Pérez‐de‐Tejada, H.; Lundin, R.

doi:10.5194/epsc2022-64

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 15 publications

(23 reference statements)

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“…In the solar wind that streams past Venus and that is pressed into the wake behind the planet by thermal pressure forces [8,21], there are plasma vortices whose width gradually decreases with distance along the wake [5]. In this scheme, particles that stream in the central part of the wake become accelerated by energy accumulated from vortices whose width gradually becomes reduced along that direction [7].…”

Section: The Vex Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An implication of this latter behavior is that the gradual decrease of the vortex width with the downstream distance from Venus implies the acceleration of the planetary ions that stream in vortex structures that have smaller widths together with those that move along the wake direction. This effect is produced by the enhanced values of the kinetic energy of planetary ions that are forced to move in smaller-width vortex structures since it is required that the integrated energy flow value across the wake is preserved [7]. As a whole, the process is produced by the expansion of the solar wind plasma into the wake together with the planetary ions that are eroded from the ionosphere as they move over its magnetic polar regions [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Under such conditions, there is a forced entry of the plasma into the wake [8] which in turn gradually decreases with distance downstream from Venus thus decreasing the width of the ionospheric vortices. In this scheme vortex structures produced across the wake are subject to being restricted to move within an ever-decreasing region in the central wake thus leading to enhance the kinetic energy of the particles that stream in that region to maintain the integrated energy of vortex motion across the wake [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Mass Flux in Corkscrew Flow Vortices in the Venus Plasma Wake

Pérez‐de‐Tejada¹,

Lundin²

2024

Vortex Simulation and Identification

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Measurements conducted with the Venus Express spacecraft (VEX) around Venus have provided evidence for the presence of a vortex structure in its wake. A configuration of the form of a corkscrew flow with a cross-section comparable to the planet’s radius has been inferred from those measurements and exhibits a rotation in the counterclockwise sense when viewed from the wake back to Venus. Such structure is generated by the solar wind and also by planetary ions driven along the wake as inferred from the analysis of data obtained in several orbits of that spacecraft. It has also been learned that the width of the corkscrew structure gradually decreases with distance along the wake and its position varies along the solar cycle occurring closer to the planet during minimum solar cycle conditions. Measurements also show that the flow speed of the planetary ions driven from the nightside ionosphere is modified as they move through the corkscrew flow structure and become accelerated as the width of a corkscrew structure decreases with increasing distance downstream from Venus. Measurements also show that the mass flux of the planetary ions increases at high altitudes above the planet when they are conducted across the narrow part of a corkscrew shape in the particle distribution along the wake.

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Section: The Vex Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%