The Day the Solar Wind Disappeared at Mars

J. S. Halekas; S. Shaver; A. R. Azari; C. M. Fowler; Y. Ma; S. Xu; L. Andersson; C. Bertucci; S. M. Curry; C. Dong; Y. Dong; X. Fang; P. Garnier; K. G. Hanley; T. Hara; S. K. Howard; A. Hughes; R. J. Lillis; C. O. Lee; J. G. Luhmann; H. Madanian; M. Marquette; C. Mazelle; J. P. McFadden; K. Meziane; D. L. Mitchell; A. Rahmati; W. Reed; N. Romanelli; N. R. Schnepf

doi:10.1029/2023JA031935

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The Day the Solar Wind Disappeared at Mars

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The Day the Solar Wind Disappeared at Mars

J. S. Halekas, S. Shaver, A. R. Azari, C. M. Fowler, Y. Ma, S. Xu, L. Andersson, C. Bertucci, S. M. Curry, C. Dong, …

Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.128(12), e2023JA031935

12/12/2023

DOI: 10.1029/2023JA031935

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Abstract

In December 2022, an extremely low-density solar wind stream encountered first the Earth and then Mars, shortly after the radial alignment of the two planets (i.e., Mars opposition). As the low-density stream passed Mars, the properties of the Mars-solar wind interaction changed dramatically in response to the low solar wind Alfvenic Mach number and dynamic pressure. The Martian magnetosphere and its boundaries expanded by thousands of kilometers, extending outside of the nominal average bow shock location. The low upstream Mach number resulted in a low ratio of plasma to magnetic field pressure in the magnetosheath, allowing the formation of a very high but stable ion temperature anisotropy, together with a very low level of electromagnetic instabilities. Meanwhile, the decrease in solar wind dynamic pressure caused the Martian upper ionosphere at the terminator to transition from a magnetized state to an unmagnetized state. This event provides an opportunity to study a unique end-member state of the Mars-solar wind interaction. The solar wind consists of a supersonic flow of hot ionized gas (plasma) from the Sun that flows outward through the solar system. The solar wind interacts with planetary atmospheres and magnetic fields, which form shielded regions known as magnetospheres. The characteristics of the solar wind, including its density and speed, vary over a wide range. The shape, extent, and physical characteristics of planetary magnetospheres in turn respond to these changes in the solar wind. In this work, we study the response of the Martian magnetosphere to an extremely low-density solar wind stream. During the passage of this stream, the Martian magnetosphere expanded by thousands of kilometers, and its physical characteristics changed dramatically. This event reveals a unique outlier state for the Mars-solar wind interaction. An extremely low-density solar wind stream encountered the Earth and Mars just after Mars opposition in December 2022The Martian magnetosheath developed very unusual properties, with a low level of plasma instabilities and a high ion anisotropyThe Martian magnetosphere and its boundaries expanded by thousands of km, extending outside of the location of the nominal bow shock

Mars

magnetosphere

solar wind

space weather

UIOWA OA Agreement

Details

Title: Subtitle: The Day the Solar Wind Disappeared at Mars
Creators: J. S. Halekas - University of Iowa, Physics and Astronomy
S. Shaver - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
A. R. Azari - University of Michigan
C. M. Fowler - University of Colorado Boulder
Y. Ma - Ames Research Center
S. Xu - University of California, Berkeley
L. Andersson - University of Colorado Boulder
C. Bertucci - Institute of Astronomy and Space Physics
S. M. Curry - University of California, Berkeley
C. Dong - Princeton University
Y. Dong - University of Colorado Boulder
X. Fang - University of Colorado Boulder
P. Garnier - Université de Toulouse
K. G. Hanley - University of California, Berkeley
T. Hara - University of California, Berkeley
S. K. Howard - Goddard Space Flight Center
A. Hughes - Goddard Space Flight Center
R. J. Lillis - University of California, Berkeley
C. O. Lee - University of California, Berkeley
J. G. Luhmann - University of California, Berkeley
H. Madanian - Southwest Research Institute
M. Marquette - University of California, Berkeley
C. Mazelle - Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier
J. P. McFadden - University of California, Berkeley
K. Meziane - University of New Brunswick
D. L. Mitchell - University of California, Berkeley
A. Rahmati - University of California, Berkeley
W. Reed - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
N. Romanelli - Goddard Space Flight Center
N. R. Schnepf - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.128(12), e2023JA031935
DOI: 10.1029/2023JA031935
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Publisher: Wiley
Number of pages: 14
Grant note: NASA Solar System Workings program 80GSFC21M0002 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) 80NSSC20K0571 / NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
Language: English
Date published: 12/12/2023
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984528535002771

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