Mars, without a strong internal dipole magnetic field, is a place where the supersonic solar wind directly contacts the planet’s upper atmosphere. Using a large set of data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, Halekas et al. [2017] examine some properties of the solar wind in that interaction region, especially velocity distributions that might lead to plasma waves. The paper discusses this effect, plus provides a calculation of the large-scale force terms and their relationship to possible planetary ion loss. The conclusion isn’t surprising: the VxB “pick-up” force is largest and should dominate planetary ion loss. It’s nice to see the comparison with other terms in this robust combination of case studies and statistical analysis.
Citation: Halekas, J. S., et al. [2017]. Flows, fields, and forces in the Mars-solar wind interaction. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 122, 11,320–11,341. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024772
—Mike Liemohn, Editor-in-Chief, JGR: Space Physics
from Eos https://eos.org/editor-highlights/where-the-solar-wind-meets-mars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_content=where-the-solar-wind-meets-mars
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