Detection of magnetospheric ion drift patterns at Mars

Chi Zhang; Hans Nilsson; Yusuke Ebihara; Masatoshi Yamauchi; Moa Persson; Zhaojin Rong; Jun Zhong; Chuanfei Dong; Yuxi Chen; Xuzhi Zhou; Yixin Sun; Yuki Harada; Jasper Halekas; Shaosui Xu; Yoshifumi Futaana; Zhen Shi; Chongjing Yuan; Xiaotong Yun; Song Fu; Jiawei Gao; Mats Holmström; Yong Wei; Stas Barabash

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-42630-7

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Detection of magnetospheric ion drift patterns at Mars

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Detection of magnetospheric ion drift patterns at Mars

Chi Zhang, Hans Nilsson, Yusuke Ebihara, Masatoshi Yamauchi, Moa Persson, Zhaojin Rong, Jun Zhong, Chuanfei Dong, Yuxi Chen, Xuzhi Zhou, …

Nature communications, Vol.14(1), 6866

10/27/2023

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42630-7

PMCID: PMC10611764

PMID: 37891189

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Abstract

Mars lacks a global magnetic field, and instead possesses small-scale crustal magnetic fields, making its magnetic environment fundamentally different from intrinsic magnetospheres like those of Earth or Saturn. Here we report the discovery of magnetospheric ion drift patterns, typical of intrinsic magnetospheres, at Mars using measurements from Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission. Specifically, we observe wedge-like dispersion structures of hydrogen ions exhibiting butterfly-shaped distributions (pitch angle peaks at 22.5°−45° and 135°−157.5°) within the Martian crustal fields, a feature previously observed only in planetary-scale intrinsic magnetospheres. These dispersed structures are the results of drift motions that fundamentally resemble those observed in intrinsic magnetospheres. Our findings indicate that the Martian magnetosphere embodies an intermediate case where both the unmagnetized and magnetized ion behaviors could be observed because of the wide range of strengths and spatial scales of the crustal magnetic fields around Mars. Mars lacks a global intrinsic magnetic field. Here, the authors show wedge-like dispersion structures of Hydrogen ions exhibiting butterfly-shaped distributions, which was previously found only in intrinsic magnetospheres.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Detection of magnetospheric ion drift patterns at Mars
Creators: Chi Zhang - University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hans Nilsson - Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Yusuke Ebihara - Kyoto University
Masatoshi Yamauchi - Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Moa Persson - The University of Tokyo
Zhaojin Rong - Institute of Geology and Geophysics
Jun Zhong - Institute of Geology and Geophysics
Chuanfei Dong - Boston University
Yuxi Chen - Boston University
Xuzhi Zhou - Beijing, China
Yixin Sun - Peking University
Yuki Harada - Kyoto University
Jasper Halekas - University of Iowa
Shaosui Xu - University of California, Berkeley
Yoshifumi Futaana - Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Zhen Shi - Beijing, China Beijing, China
Chongjing Yuan - Beijing, China Beijing, China
Xiaotong Yun - Wuhan University
Song Fu - Wuhan University
Jiawei Gao - University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Mats Holmström - Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Yong Wei - Institute of Geology and Geophysics
Stas Barabash - Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nature communications, Vol.14(1), 6866
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42630-7
PMID: 37891189
PMCID: PMC10611764
NLM abbreviation: Nat Commun
ISSN: 2041-1723
eISSN: 2041-1723
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK
Grant note: ; 41922031, 41774188 / ;
Language: English
Date published: 10/27/2023
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984503059002771

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