Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration

Abstract Direct electric field measurements during certain ionosphere‐magnetosheath transitions on the dayside of Mars reveal a presence of localized (<20 km thickness along vertical direction) strong (>40 mV/m) electric field located at the solar wind stagnation point. This electric field is...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Sergey D. Shuvalov, Laila Andersson, Kathleen Gwen Hanley, Jasper S. Halekas, David L. Mitchell, Jared R. Espley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Subjects:
Mars
ion composition boundary
magnetopause
solar wind
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113584
Description
Summary:Abstract Direct electric field measurements during certain ionosphere‐magnetosheath transitions on the dayside of Mars reveal a presence of localized (<20 km thickness along vertical direction) strong (>40 mV/m) electric field located at the solar wind stagnation point. This electric field is nearly collocated with the ion composition boundary where ionospheric oxygen ions are observed to be accelerated up to ∼1 keV, forming a layer of higher temperature plasma around the stagnation point. Simulations demonstrate that the observed localized electric field enhancement can create this hotter plasma layer population on either side of the boundary. This plasma layer can have an impact on the solar wind coupling with the planet and forms a reservoir for heavy ion escape.
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007

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