Statistical distribution of mirror-mode-like structures in the magnetosheaths of unmagnetized planets – Part 2: Venus as observed by the Venus Express spacecraft

Volwerk, Martin; Simon Wedlund, Cyril; Mautner, David; Rojas Mata, Sebastián; Stenberg Wieser, Gabriella; Futaana, Yoshifumi; Mazelle, Christian; Rojas-Castillo, Diana; Bertucci, César; Delva, Magda

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-389-2023

Articles | Volume 41, issue 2

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-389-2023

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

https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-41-389-2023

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

Articles | Volume 41, issue 2

Regular paper

|

10 Oct 2023

Regular paper |

| 10 Oct 2023

Statistical distribution of mirror-mode-like structures in the magnetosheaths of unmagnetized planets – Part 2: Venus as observed by the Venus Express spacecraft

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

Data sets

VEX Magnetometer Data M. Delva, W. Zambelli, and T. L. Zhang https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/ftp/VENUS-EXPRESS/MAG/

VEX ASPERA-4 Data S. Barabash, J.-A. Sauvaud, and Y. Futaana https://archives.esac.esa.int/psa/ftp/VENUS-EXPRESS/ASPERA4/

The International Sunspot Number SILSO World Data Center http://sidc.be/silso/monthlyssnplot

LASP Interactive Solar Irradiance Datacenter Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics https://doi.org/10.25980/L27Z-XD34

Short summary

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.