On the Solar Wind Proton Temperature Anisotropy at Mars' Orbital Location

C. L. Lentz; A. Chasapis; R. A. Qudsi; J. Halekas; B. A. Maruca; L. Andersson; D. N. Baker

doi:10.1029/2021JA029438

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On the Solar Wind Proton Temperature Anisotropy at Mars' Orbital Location

Journal article

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On the Solar Wind Proton Temperature Anisotropy at Mars' Orbital Location

C. L. Lentz, A. Chasapis, R. A. Qudsi, J. Halekas, B. A. Maruca, L. Andersson and D. N. Baker

Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.126(10), e2021JA029438

10/01/2021

DOI: 10.1029/2021JA029438

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Abstract

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft can act as an intermittent upstream solar wind monitor at similar to 1.5 AU. To inspect the evolution of solar wind turbulence in the Martian exosphere, we have gathered proton (i.e., ionized hydrogen) temperature measurements taken by the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer (SWIA) onboard the MAVEN spacecraft. Here we investigate instabilities driven by the proton temperature anisotropy at Mars during southern hemisphere fall, winter, spring, and summer seasons. We look at the relationship between the temperature anisotropy, Rp=T perpendicular to p/T||p (i.e., the ratio of the perpendicular proton temperature component to the parallel proton temperature component), and the parallel plasma beta, beta||p, to determine any constraints imposed by kinetic instabilities. Furthermore, we report on the properties of turbulence near Mars' orbital location during upstream solar wind intervals from January 2015 to December 2016 (similar to 1 Martian year). We find that the probability distributions of (beta||p,Rp)-values become limited when Rp deviates greatly from unity. We also find evidence of intermittency implying nonlinear, non-homogeneous energy transfer. Additionally, spectral indices obtained from basic fittings of power spectral densities of magnetic field fluctuations demonstrate a power law decay for inertial ranges (10-4 Hz to 0.1 Hz).

Physical Sciences

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: On the Solar Wind Proton Temperature Anisotropy at Mars' Orbital Location
Creators: C. L. Lentz - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
A. Chasapis - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
R. A. Qudsi - University of Delaware
J. Halekas - University of Iowa
B. A. Maruca - University of Delaware
L. Andersson - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
D. N. Baker - University of Colorado Boulder
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.126(10), e2021JA029438
DOI: 10.1029/2021JA029438
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Publisher: Amer Geophysical Union
Number of pages: 11
Grant note: NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
Language: English
Date published: 10/01/2021
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984428767502771

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