Episodic detachment of Martian crustal magnetic fields leading to bulk atmospheric plasma escape
Episodic detachment of Martian crustal magnetic fields leading to bulk atmospheric plasma escape
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DOI：
10.1029/2010gl043916
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发表时间：
2010-07-30
影响因子：
5.2
通讯作者：
Phan, T. -D.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Brain, D. A.;Baker, A. H.;Phan, T. -D.
我们对火星全球勘测者（MGS）航天器的磁场和超热电子测量结果进行了分析，揭示了与流动的太阳风相关的强地壳磁场下游充满火星大气等离子体的孤立磁结构。该结构具有磁场增强和磁通绳的旋转特征，电离层电子能量分布具有与周围区域不同的角分布特征。这些观测结果表明，大量的大气正在通过大规模的移除过程间歇地从火星上带走：地壳磁场环的顶部通过与太阳风的相互作用而拉伸，并通过磁重联而分离。这一过程经常发生，可能占目前火星离子逸出总量的10%。出处：Brain， D. A. H. Baker， J. Briggs， J. P. Eastwood， J. S. Halekas和t . D.。Phan(2010)，火星地壳磁场分离导致大量大气等离子体逃逸，地球物理学报。卷。科学通报，37,L14108, doi:10.1029/2010GL043916。
We present an analysis of magnetic field and supra-thermal electron measurements from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft that reveals isolated magnetic structures filled with Martian atmospheric plasma located downstream from strong crustal magnetic fields with respect to the flowing solar wind. The structures are characterized by magnetic field enhancements and rotations characteristic of magnetic flux ropes, and characteristic ionospheric electron energy distributions with angular distributions distinct from surrounding regions. These observations indicate that significant amounts of atmosphere are intermittently being carried away from Mars by a bulk removal process: the top portions of crustal field loops are stretched through interaction with the solar wind and detach via magnetic reconnection. This process occurs frequently and may account for as much as 10% of the total present-day ion escape from Mars. Citation: Brain, D. A., A. H. Baker, J. Briggs, J. P. Eastwood, J. S. Halekas, and T.-D. Phan (2010), Episodic detachment of Martian crustal magnetic fields leading to bulk atmospheric plasma escape, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L14108, doi:10.1029/2010GL043916.