Plasma composition measurements of the Martian magnetosphere morphology

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i006p00877· OSTI ID:6608948

Lundin, R; Borg, H; Hultqvist, B ^[1]; Zakharov, A; Pissarenko, N; Dubinin, E M; Barabasj, S W ^[2]; Pellinen, R; Liede, I; Koskinen, H ^[3]

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1. Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna (Sweden)
2. Space Research Institute, Moscow (USSR)
3. Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki (Finland)

Plasma composition measurements from the Phobos-2 spacecraft have revealed new data on the dynamics and composition of plasmas in the Martian magnetosphere - a magnetosphere being significantly wider and more dynamic than was anticipated before. The tail width is some 6-9 Mars radii at antisolar distances greater than ten Martian radii and it contains some features that are similar to those observed in the Geotail. The strong dominance of plasma of Martian origin implies a modest access of solar wind particles into the central tail. Heavy ions like O{sup +} are in fact up to ten times more abundant than H{sup +}. Some plasma properties, such as the characteristics of the ionospheric ion outflow, the presence of a distinct plasma sheet and the overall width of the tail are arguments for a weak intrinsic magnetic field on Mars. However, yet other plasma characteristics, such as strong ion pick-up processes, indicates a Venus-like interaction. Thus, they present views based on primarily plasma measurements is that Mars constitutes a hybrid obstacle to the solar wind. The observation of two distinctly different plasma boundaries suggests that the magnetosphere of Mars is contained within an exterior/composition boundary-termed the Mass-Loading Boundary (MLB), and an interior boundary - a magnetopause.

• OSTI ID: 6608948
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Vol. 17:6; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
MARS PLANET
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
SOLAR WIND
IONIC COMPOSITION
INTERACTIONS
DYNAMICS
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
HEAVY IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MASS TRANSFER
MORPHOLOGY
PLASMA
SPACE VEHICLES
ABUNDANCE
ATMOSPHERES
CHARGED PARTICLES
IONS
MECHANICS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
VEHICLES
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena