Statistical distribution of mirror-mode-like structures in the magnetosheaths of unmagnetised planets – Part 1: Mars as observed by the MAVEN spacecraft

Simon Wedlund, Cyril; Volwerk, Martin; Mazelle, Christian; Rojas Mata, Sebastián; Stenberg Wieser, Gabriella; Futaana, Yoshifumi; Halekas, Jasper; Rojas-Castillo, Diana; Bertucci, César; Espley, Jared

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-225-2023

Articles | Volume 41, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-225-2023

© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-225-2023

© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 41, issue 1

Regular paper

|

31 May 2023

Regular paper |

| 31 May 2023

Statistical distribution of mirror-mode-like structures in the magnetosheaths of unmagnetised planets – Part 1: Mars as observed by the MAVEN spacecraft

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

Data sets

MAVEN MAG Calibrated Data Bundle P. Lawton and J. Connerney https://doi.org/10.17189/1414178

Predicted times, spatial coordinates of bow shock crossings and shock geometry at Mars from the NASA/MAVEN mission, using spacecraft ephemerides and magnetic field data, with a predictor-corrector algorithm C. Simon Wedlund, M. Volwerk, A. Beth, C. Mazelle, C. Möstl, J. Halekas, J. Gruesbeck, and D. Rojas-Castillo https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6320518

Short summary

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.