Articles | Volume 39, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-563-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-563-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Magnetosheath plasma flow model around Mercury
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Yasuhito Narita
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Ferdinand Plaschke
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Martin Volwerk
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Rumi Nakamura
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Wolfgang Baumjohann
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria
Related authors
Yasuhito Narita, Daniel Schmid, and Uwe Motschmann
Ann. Geophys., 43, 417–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-417-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-417-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
It is often the case that only magnetic field data are available for in situ planetary studies using spacecraft. Either plasma data are not available or the data resolution is limited. Nevertheless, the theory of plasma instability tells us how to interpret the magnetic field data (wave frequency) in terms of flow speed and beam velocity, generating the instability. We invent an analysis tool for Mercury's upstream waves as an example.
Yasuhito Narita, Daniel Schmid, and Simon Toepfer
Ann. Geophys., 42, 79–89, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-79-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-79-2024, 2024
Short summary
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The magnetosheath is a transition layer surrounding the planetary magnetosphere. We develop an algorithm to compute the plasma flow velocity and magnetic field for a more general shape of magnetosheath using the concept of potential field and suitable coordinate transformation. Application to the empirical Earth magnetosheath region is shown in the paper. The developed algorithm is useful when interpreting the spacecraft data or simulation of the planetary magnetosheath region.
Yasuhito Narita, Simon Toepfer, and Daniel Schmid
Ann. Geophys., 41, 87–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-87-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-87-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Magnetopause is a shielding boundary of planetary magnetic field. Many mathematical models have been proposed to describe or to reproduce the magnetopause location, but they are restricted to the real-number functions. In this work, we analytically develop a magnetopause model in the complex-number domain, which is advantageous in deforming the magnetopause shape in a conformal (angle-preserving) way, and is suited to compare different models or map one model onto another.
Daniel Schmid and Yasuhito Narita
Ann. Geophys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2022-30, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2022-30, 2023
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present a useful tool to diagnose the bow shock condition around planets on basis of magnetic field observations. From the upstream and downstream shock normal angle of the magnetic field, it is possible to approximate the relation between compression ratio, Alfvenic Mach number and the solar wind plasma beta. The tool is particularly helpful to study the solar wind conditions and bow shock characteristics during the planetary flybys of the ongoing BepiColombo mission.
Martin Volwerk, Beatriz Sánchez-Cano, Daniel Heyner, Sae Aizawa, Nicolas André, Ali Varsani, Johannes Mieth, Stefano Orsini, Wolfgang Baumjohann, David Fischer, Yoshifumi Futaana, Richard Harrison, Harald Jeszenszky, Iwai Kazumasa, Gunter Laky, Herbert Lichtenegger, Anna Milillo, Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Rumi Nakamura, Ferdinand Plaschke, Ingo Richter, Sebastián Rojas Mata, Yoshifumi Saito, Daniel Schmid, Daikou Shiota, and Cyril Simon Wedlund
Ann. Geophys., 39, 811–831, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-811-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-811-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
On 15 October 2020, BepiColombo used Venus as a gravity assist to change its orbit to reach Mercury in late 2021. During this passage of Venus, the spacecraft entered into Venus's magnetotail at a distance of 70 Venus radii from the planet. We have studied the magnetic field and plasma data and find that Venus's magnetotail is highly active. This is caused by strong activity in the solar wind, where just before the flyby a coronal mass ejection interacted with the magnetophere of Venus.
Martin Volwerk, David Mautner, Cyril Simon Wedlund, Charlotte Goetz, Ferdinand Plaschke, Tomas Karlsson, Daniel Schmid, Diana Rojas-Castillo, Owen W. Roberts, and Ali Varsani
Ann. Geophys., 39, 239–253, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-239-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-239-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The magnetic field in the solar wind is not constant but varies in direction and strength. One of these variations shows a strong local reduction of the magnetic field strength and is called a magnetic hole. These holes are usually an indication that there is, or has been, a temperature difference in the plasma of the solar wind, with the temperature along the magnetic field lower than perpendicular. The MMS spacecraft data have been used to study the characteristics of these holes near Earth.
Yasuhito Narita, Ferdinand Plaschke, Werner Magnes, David Fischer, and Daniel Schmid
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 10, 13–24, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-10-13-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-10-13-2021, 2021
Short summary
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The systematic error of calibrated fluxgate magnetometer data is studied for a spinning spacecraft. The major error comes from the offset uncertainty when the ambient magnetic field is low, while the error represents the combination of non-orthogonality, misalignment to spacecraft reference direction, and gain when the ambient field is high. The results are useful in developing future high-precision magnetometers and an error estimate in scientific studies using magnetometer data.
Gerlinde Timmermann, David Fischer, Hans-Ulrich Auster, Ingo Richter, Benjamin Grison, and Ferdinand Plaschke
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4095, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4095, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems (GI).
Short summary
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We've compared the amplitude spectral densities of a fluxgate magnetometer (FGM) and an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) magnetometer during ground testing with the amplitude spectral densities obtained in different regions of near-Earth space. The FGM can measure the fields in the different space regions and their fluctuations within a frequency range of 1 mHz to 2.5 Hz. The AMR magnetometer is only suitable for more turbulent regions such as the magnetosheath due to its higher noise levels.
Rumi Nakamura, Thierry Dudok de Wit, Geraint H. Jones, Matt G. G. T. Taylor, Nicolas C. Andre, Charlotte Goetz, Lina Z. Hadid, Laura A. Hayes, Heli Hietala, Caitriona M. Jackman, Larry Kepko, Aurelie Marchaudon, Adam Masters, Mathew Owens, Noora Partamies, Stefaan Poedts, Jonathan Rae, Yuri Shprits, Manuela Temmer, Daniel Verscharen, and Robert F. Wimmer-Schweingruber
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3814, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3814, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Annales Geophysicae (ANGEO).
Short summary
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Heliophysics spans a wide range of disciplines covering the study of the Sun and the different Solar System bodies, such as Earth and other planets, moons, comets, and asteroids, and their interactions with the Sun, focusing on plasma and atmospheric processes. A grass-roots effort has been recently started toward establishing a European Heliophysics Community (https://www.heliophysics.eu/). This white paper outlines the motivation, priorities, and a future vision of Heliophysics in Europe.
Yasuhito Narita, Daniel Schmid, and Uwe Motschmann
Ann. Geophys., 43, 417–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-417-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-417-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
It is often the case that only magnetic field data are available for in situ planetary studies using spacecraft. Either plasma data are not available or the data resolution is limited. Nevertheless, the theory of plasma instability tells us how to interpret the magnetic field data (wave frequency) in terms of flow speed and beam velocity, generating the instability. We invent an analysis tool for Mercury's upstream waves as an example.
Niklas Grimmich, Adrian Pöppelwerth, Martin Owain Archer, David Gary Sibeck, Ferdinand Plaschke, Wenli Mo, Vicki Toy-Edens, Drew Lawson Turner, Hyangpyo Kim, and Rumi Nakamura
Ann. Geophys., 43, 151–173, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-151-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-43-151-2025, 2025
Short summary
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The boundary of Earth's magnetic field, the magnetopause, deflects and reacts to the solar wind, the energetic particles emanating from the Sun. We find that certain types of solar wind favour the occurrence of deviations between the magnetopause locations observed by spacecraft and those predicted by models. In addition, the turbulent region in front of the magnetopause, the foreshock, has a large influence on the location of the magnetopause and thus on the accuracy of the model predictions.
Niklas Grimmich, Ferdinand Plaschke, Benjamin Grison, Fabio Prencipe, Christophe Philippe Escoubet, Martin Owain Archer, Ovidiu Dragos Constantinescu, Stein Haaland, Rumi Nakamura, David Gary Sibeck, Fabien Darrouzet, Mykhaylo Hayosh, and Romain Maggiolo
Ann. Geophys., 42, 371–394, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-371-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-371-2024, 2024
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In our study, we looked at the boundary between the Earth's magnetic field and the interplanetary magnetic field emitted by the Sun, called the magnetopause. While other studies focus on the magnetopause motion near Earth's Equator, we have studied it in polar regions. The motion of the magnetopause is faster towards the Earth than towards the Sun. We also found that the occurrence of unusual magnetopause locations is due to similar solar influences in the equatorial and polar regions.
Adrian Pöppelwerth, Georg Glebe, Johannes Z. D. Mieth, Florian Koller, Tomas Karlsson, Zoltán Vörös, and Ferdinand Plaschke
Ann. Geophys., 42, 271–284, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-271-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-271-2024, 2024
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In the magnetosheath, a near-Earth region of space, we observe increases in plasma velocity and density, so-called jets. As they propagate towards Earth, jets interact with the ambient plasma. We study this interaction with three spacecraft simultaneously to infer their sizes. While previous studies have investigated their size almost exclusively statistically, we demonstrate a new method of determining the sizes of individual jets.
Tomas Karlsson, Ferdinand Plaschke, Austin N. Glass, and Jim M. Raines
Ann. Geophys., 42, 117–130, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-117-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-117-2024, 2024
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The solar wind interacts with the planets in the solar system and creates a supersonic shock in front of them. The upstream region of this shock contains many complicated phenomena. One such phenomenon is small-scale structures of strong magnetic fields (SLAMS). These SLAMS have been observed at Earth and are important in determining the properties of space around the planet. Until now, SLAMS have not been observed at Mercury, but we show for the first time that SLAMS also exist there.
Yasuhito Narita, Daniel Schmid, and Simon Toepfer
Ann. Geophys., 42, 79–89, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-79-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-79-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The magnetosheath is a transition layer surrounding the planetary magnetosphere. We develop an algorithm to compute the plasma flow velocity and magnetic field for a more general shape of magnetosheath using the concept of potential field and suitable coordinate transformation. Application to the empirical Earth magnetosheath region is shown in the paper. The developed algorithm is useful when interpreting the spacecraft data or simulation of the planetary magnetosheath region.
Ariel Tello Fallau, Charlotte Goetz, Cyril Simon Wedlund, Martin Volwerk, and Anja Moeslinger
Ann. Geophys., 41, 569–587, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-569-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-569-2023, 2023
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The plasma environment of comet 67P provides a unique laboratory to study plasma phenomena in the solar system. Previous studies have reported the existence of mirror modes at 67P but no further systematic investigation has so far been done. This study aims to learn more about these waves. We investigate the magnetic field measured by Rosetta and find 565 mirror mode signatures. The detected mirror modes are likely generated upstream of the observation and have been modified by the plasma.
Leonard Schulz, Karl-Heinz Glassmeier, Ferdinand Plaschke, Simon Toepfer, and Uwe Motschmann
Ann. Geophys., 41, 449–463, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-449-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-449-2023, 2023
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The upper detection limit in reciprocal space, the spatial Nyquist limit, is derived for arbitrary spatial dimensions for the wave telescope analysis technique. This is important as future space plasma missions will incorporate larger numbers of spacecraft (>4). Our findings are a key element in planning the spatial distribution of future multi-point spacecraft missions. The wave telescope is a multi-dimensional power spectrum estimator; hence, this can be applied to other fields of research.
Martin Volwerk, Cyril Simon Wedlund, David Mautner, Sebastián Rojas Mata, Gabriella Stenberg Wieser, Yoshifumi Futaana, Christian Mazelle, Diana Rojas-Castillo, César Bertucci, and Magda Delva
Ann. Geophys., 41, 389–408, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-389-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-389-2023, 2023
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Freshly created ions in solar wind start gyrating around the interplanetary magnetic field. When they cross the bow shock, they get an extra kick, and this increases the plasma pressure against the magnetic pressure. This leads to the creation of so-called mirror modes, regions where the magnetic field decreases in strength and the plasma density increases. These structures help in exploring how energy is transferred from the ions to the magnetic field and where around Venus this is happening.
Cyril Simon Wedlund, Martin Volwerk, Christian Mazelle, Sebastián Rojas Mata, Gabriella Stenberg Wieser, Yoshifumi Futaana, Jasper Halekas, Diana Rojas-Castillo, César Bertucci, and Jared Espley
Ann. Geophys., 41, 225–251, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-225-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-225-2023, 2023
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Mirror modes are magnetic bottles found in the space plasma environment of planets contributing to the energy exchange with the solar wind. We use magnetic field measurements from the NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission to detect them around Mars and show how they evolve in time and space. The structures concentrate in two regions: one behind the bow shock and the other closer to the planet. They compete with other wave modes depending on the solar flux and heliocentric distance.
Yasuhito Narita, Simon Toepfer, and Daniel Schmid
Ann. Geophys., 41, 87–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-87-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-87-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Magnetopause is a shielding boundary of planetary magnetic field. Many mathematical models have been proposed to describe or to reproduce the magnetopause location, but they are restricted to the real-number functions. In this work, we analytically develop a magnetopause model in the complex-number domain, which is advantageous in deforming the magnetopause shape in a conformal (angle-preserving) way, and is suited to compare different models or map one model onto another.
Daniel Schmid and Yasuhito Narita
Ann. Geophys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2022-30, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2022-30, 2023
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present a useful tool to diagnose the bow shock condition around planets on basis of magnetic field observations. From the upstream and downstream shock normal angle of the magnetic field, it is possible to approximate the relation between compression ratio, Alfvenic Mach number and the solar wind plasma beta. The tool is particularly helpful to study the solar wind conditions and bow shock characteristics during the planetary flybys of the ongoing BepiColombo mission.
Weijie Sun, James A. Slavin, Rumi Nakamura, Daniel Heyner, Karlheinz J. Trattner, Johannes Z. D. Mieth, Jiutong Zhao, Qiu-Gang Zong, Sae Aizawa, Nicolas Andre, and Yoshifumi Saito
Ann. Geophys., 40, 217–229, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-217-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-217-2022, 2022
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This paper presents observations of FTE-type flux ropes on the dayside during BepiColombo's Earth flyby. FTE-type flux ropes are a well-known feature of magnetic reconnection on the magnetopause, and they can be used to constrain the location of reconnection X-lines. Our study suggests that the magnetopause X-line passed BepiColombo from the north as it traversed the magnetopause. Moreover, our results also strongly support coalescence creating larger flux ropes by combining smaller ones.
Simon Toepfer, Ida Oertel, Vanita Schiron, Yasuhito Narita, Karl-Heinz Glassmeier, Daniel Heyner, Patrick Kolhey, and Uwe Motschmann
Ann. Geophys., 40, 91–105, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-91-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-40-91-2022, 2022
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Revealing the nature of Mercury’s internal magnetic field is one of the primary goals of the BepiColombo mission. Besides the parametrization of the magnetic field contributions, the application of a robust inversion method is of major importance. The present work provides an overview of the most commonly used inversion methods and shows that Capon’s method as well as the Tikhonov regularization enable a high-precision determination of Mercury’s internal magnetic field up to the fifth degree.
Martin Volwerk, Beatriz Sánchez-Cano, Daniel Heyner, Sae Aizawa, Nicolas André, Ali Varsani, Johannes Mieth, Stefano Orsini, Wolfgang Baumjohann, David Fischer, Yoshifumi Futaana, Richard Harrison, Harald Jeszenszky, Iwai Kazumasa, Gunter Laky, Herbert Lichtenegger, Anna Milillo, Yoshizumi Miyoshi, Rumi Nakamura, Ferdinand Plaschke, Ingo Richter, Sebastián Rojas Mata, Yoshifumi Saito, Daniel Schmid, Daikou Shiota, and Cyril Simon Wedlund
Ann. Geophys., 39, 811–831, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-811-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-811-2021, 2021
Short summary
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On 15 October 2020, BepiColombo used Venus as a gravity assist to change its orbit to reach Mercury in late 2021. During this passage of Venus, the spacecraft entered into Venus's magnetotail at a distance of 70 Venus radii from the planet. We have studied the magnetic field and plasma data and find that Venus's magnetotail is highly active. This is caused by strong activity in the solar wind, where just before the flyby a coronal mass ejection interacted with the magnetophere of Venus.
Yasuhito Narita
Ann. Geophys., 39, 759–768, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-759-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-759-2021, 2021
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The concept of electromotive force appears in various electromagnetic applications in geophysical and astrophysical fluid studies. The electromotive force is being recognized as a useful tool to construct a more complete picture of turbulent space plasma and has the potential to test for the fundamental processes of dynamo mechanism in space.
Martin Volwerk, David Mautner, Cyril Simon Wedlund, Charlotte Goetz, Ferdinand Plaschke, Tomas Karlsson, Daniel Schmid, Diana Rojas-Castillo, Owen W. Roberts, and Ali Varsani
Ann. Geophys., 39, 239–253, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-239-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-239-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The magnetic field in the solar wind is not constant but varies in direction and strength. One of these variations shows a strong local reduction of the magnetic field strength and is called a magnetic hole. These holes are usually an indication that there is, or has been, a temperature difference in the plasma of the solar wind, with the temperature along the magnetic field lower than perpendicular. The MMS spacecraft data have been used to study the characteristics of these holes near Earth.
Horia Comişel, Yasuhito Narita, and Uwe Motschmann
Ann. Geophys., 39, 165–170, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-165-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-39-165-2021, 2021
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Identification of a large-amplitude Alfvén wave decaying into a pair of
ion-acoustic and daughter Alfvén waves is one of the major goals in the
observational studies of space plasma nonlinearity.
Growth-rate maps
may serve as a useful tool for predictions of the wavevector spectrum of density
or magnetic field fluctuations in various scenarios for the
wave–wave coupling processes developing at different stages in
space plasma turbulence.
Yasuhito Narita, Ferdinand Plaschke, Werner Magnes, David Fischer, and Daniel Schmid
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 10, 13–24, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-10-13-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-10-13-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The systematic error of calibrated fluxgate magnetometer data is studied for a spinning spacecraft. The major error comes from the offset uncertainty when the ambient magnetic field is low, while the error represents the combination of non-orthogonality, misalignment to spacecraft reference direction, and gain when the ambient field is high. The results are useful in developing future high-precision magnetometers and an error estimate in scientific studies using magnetometer data.
Simon Toepfer, Yasuhito Narita, Daniel Heyner, Patrick Kolhey, and Uwe Motschmann
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 9, 471–481, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-471-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-471-2020, 2020
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The Capon method serves as a powerful and robust data analysis tool when working on various kinds of ill-posed inverse problems. Besides the analysis of waves, the method can be used in a generalized way to compare actual measurements with theoretical models, such as Mercury's magnetic field analysis. In view to the BepiColombo mission this work establishes a mathematical basis for the application of Capon's method to analyze Mercury's internal magnetic field in a robust and manageable way.
Ovidiu Dragoş Constantinescu, Hans-Ulrich Auster, Magda Delva, Olaf Hillenmaier, Werner Magnes, and Ferdinand Plaschke
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 9, 451–469, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-451-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-9-451-2020, 2020
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We propose a gradiometer-based technique for cleaning multi-sensor magnetic field data acquired on board spacecraft. The technique takes advantage on the fact that the maximum-variance direction of many AC disturbances on board spacecraft does not change over time. We apply the proposed technique to the SOSMAG instrument on board GeoKompsat-2A. We analyse the performance and limitations of the technique and discuss in detail how various disturbances are removed.
Alexander Lukin, Anton Artemyev, Evgeny Panov, Rumi Nakamura, Anatoly Petrukovich, Robert Ergun, Barbara Giles, Yuri Khotyaintsev, Per Arne Lindqvist, Christopher Russell, and Robert Strangeway
Ann. Geophys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2020-76, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-2020-76, 2020
Revised manuscript not accepted
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We have collected statistics of 81 fast plasma flow events in the magnetotail with clear MMS observations of kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs). We show that KAWs electric field magnitudes correlates with thermal/subthermal electron flux anisotropy: wider energy range of electron anisotropic population corresponds to higher KAWs’ electric field intensity. These results indicate on an important role of KAWs in production of thermal field-aligned electron population of the Earth’s magnetotail.
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Short summary
In this work we present the first analytical magnetosheath plasma flow model for the space environment around Mercury. The proposed model is relatively simple to implement and provides the possibility to trace the flow lines inside the Hermean magnetosheath. It can help to determine the the local plasma conditions of a spacecraft in the magnetosheath exclusively on the basis of the upstream solar wind parameters.
In this work we present the first analytical magnetosheath plasma flow model for the space...