The effect of the induced magnetic field on the electron density vertical profile of the Mars’ ionosphere: a Mars Express MARSIS radar data analysis and interpretation, a case study

We report the indirect detection of an induced magnetic field in the ionosphere of Mars and its effects in the electron density behaviour. The observations were made by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) aboard Mars Express, in its Active Ionospheric Sounding mode. During several orbits on June 2006, the ionosphere showed an unusual behaviour, characterised by a compression of the plasma above the main ionospheric peak as observed by the topside total electron content, the plasma scale height, and the local plasma in the Mars Express surroundings. The compression was most likely due to an induced magnetic field originating from the solar wind and measured by the MARSIS antennas, which was able to penetrate into the ionosphere. In particular, for several profiles, the density distribution can be clearly defined by two different plasma scale heights, which indicates a transition region between both of them. From the balance of magnetic and thermal plasma pressures and from a comparison with a numerical model of the Martian ionosphere, the hypothesis of a penetrating induced magnetic field down to a transition altitude around 150 km is confirmed. This compressed ionosphere has also been compared with data from other orbits in the same location and at the same time period, i.e. 18.5 days of difference between first and last orbits, where there is no measured induced magnetic field, and the orbits show a clearly different behaviour

Multi-point galactic cosmic ray measurements between 1 and 4.5 AU over a full solar cycle

The radiation data collected by the Standard Radiation Environment Monitor (SREM) aboard ESA missions INTEGRAL (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory), Rosetta, Herschel, Planck and Proba-1, and by the high-energy neutron detector (HEND) instrument aboard Mars Odyssey, are analysed with an emphasis on characterising galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) in the inner heliosphere. A cross calibration between all sensors was performed for this study, which can also be used in subsequent works. We investigate the stability of the SREM detectors over long-term periods. The radiation data are compared qualitatively and quantitatively with the corresponding solar activity. Based on INTEGRAL and Rosetta SREM data, a GCR helioradial gradient of 2.96 % AU−1 is found between 1 and 4.5 AU. In addition, the data during the last phase of the Rosetta mission around comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko were studied in more detail. An unexpected yet unexplained 8 % reduction of the Galactic Comic Ray flux measured by Rosetta SREM in the vicinity of the comet is noted

A Two-Spacecraft Study of Mars' Induced Magnetosphere's Response to Upstream Conditions

This is a two-spacecraft study, in which we investigate the effects of the upstream solar wind conditions on the Martian induced magnetosphere and upper ionosphere. We use Mars Express (MEX) magnetic field magnitude data together with interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), solar wind density, and velocity measurements from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, from November 2014 to November 2018. We compare simultaneous observations of the magnetic field magnitude in the induced magnetosphere of Mars (|B|IM) with the IMF magnitude (|B|IMF), and we examine variations in the ratio |B|IM/|B|IMF with solar wind dynamic pressure, speed and density. We find that the |B|IM/|B|IMF ratio in the induced magnetosphere generally decreases with increased dynamic pressure and that a more structured interaction is seen when comparing induced fields to the instantaneous IMF, where reductions in the relative fields at the magnetic pile up boundary (MPB) are more evident than in the field strength itself, along with enhancements in the immediate vicinity of the optical shadow of Mars. We interpret these results as evidence that while the induced magnetosphere is indeed compressed and induced field strengths are higher during periods of high dynamic pressure, a relatively larger amount of magnetic flux threads the region compared to that available from the unperturbed IMF during low dynamic pressure intervals

Coordinated multi-spacecraft observations of the Martian plasma environment

This White Paper discusses the key open science questions regarding the effects of the solar wind interaction at Mars. Understanding the Martian plasma system behavior as a whole (from the surface to space) should be a priority for space research as it holds significant clues to the evolution of Mars’ climate and past/present habitability. Moreover, it plays a critical role for both unmanned and manned exploration.</div

Observation and Modeling of the Solar Wind Turbulence Evolution in the Sub-Mercury Inner Heliosphere

This letter exploits the radial alignment between the Parker Solar Probe and BepiColombo in late 2022 February, when both spacecraft were within Mercury’s orbit. This allows the study of the turbulent evolution, namely, the change in spectral and intermittency properties, of the same plasma parcel during its expansion from 0.11 to 0.33 au, a still unexplored region. The observational analysis of the solar wind turbulent features at the two different evolution stages is complemented by a theoretical description based on the turbulence transport model equations for nearly incompressible magnetohydrodynamics. The results provide strong evidence that the solar wind turbulence already undergoes significant evolution at distances less than 0.3 au from the Sun, which can be satisfactorily explained as due to evolving slab fluctuations. This work represents a step forward in understanding the processes that control the transition from weak to strong turbulence in the solar wind and in properly modeling the heliosphere.</p

Images of Research 2019

Images Of Research 2019 Winners: Yang Chen – ‘Spiral Up and Down’ - Judges’ Prize Winner Dina El-Hamamsy – ‘Where is my patient Patient?’ - Joint Judges’ Prize Runners-up Tom Matheson – ‘Ginormous Genome’ (1) - Joint Judges’ Prize Runners-up Styliano Spathariotis – ‘Girl with a Metallic Earring’ - Katherine May People’s Choice Winner Soheb Mandhai – ‘The Cosmic Dance of Two Neutron Stars’ - People’s Choice Runner-up Brandon Fathy – ‘Speed, Space, and Time’ - Leicester Institute of Advanced Studies Interdisciplinary Prize Images Of Research 2018 submissions: Abbey Ellis – ‘Carving Out an Understanding’ (1) Abbey Ellis – ‘The Art of the Reproduction’ (2) Ahmed Elimam - Untitled Artur Soczawa-Stronczyk – ‘Do the locomotion with me’ Aseel Alfuhied – ‘Cosmic storm in the heart of darkness’ (1) Aseel Alfuhied – ‘Heart to Heart’ (2) Aseel Alfuhied – ‘Pop Heart’ (3) Beatriz Sanchez-Cano – ‘The Sun, our neural connection’ Cesare Cuzzola – ‘Buddha Day 2019’ Charlotte Barratt – ‘Sound’ (1) Charlotte Barratt – ‘Girl Praying’ (2) Chris Allen – ‘Perceptions and Realities: Building Community Resilience Against Extremism’ (1) Chris Allen – ‘Perceptions and Realities: Building Community Resilience Against Extremism’ (2) David Unwin – ‘Death flight’ Diane Urquhart – ‘Laying ghosts to rest’ Eloisa Rodrigues – ‘Tropical self-portrait’ Fernando Schlindwein – ‘Chaos in the heart’ (1) Fernando Schlindwein – ‘Porcupine’ (2) Graham Frobisher – ‘The 7th Decade Manager’ Hanna McQuail – ‘That colossal wreck, boundless and bare’ Hatice Kayman – ‘Immigrants have opportunities to do their festivals in London’ Hedwig Krawczyk – ‘Underwater Time Machines’ Hipolito Treffinger – ‘Layers’ Jacqueline Taylor – ‘Miriam Haughton at the British Academy’ Jan Vandeburie – ‘Dress to Impress’ Jennifer Beamer – ‘Human-Animal Relationships in Weaving’ John Goodwin – ‘Slow Sociology in South Wigston’ Kinga Kolodziej – ‘In a blink of an eye…’ (1) Kinga Kolodziej – ‘In a blink of an eye…’ (2) Kristina Wright – ‘Janus-Faced Seoul’ Kseniia Bondarenko – ‘Your brain drives me crazy’ (1) Kseniia Bondarenko – ‘Your brain drives me crazy’ (2) Liam Crawford – ‘The heartfelt love story between one nanoparticle and another’ Lisa Huddlestone – ‘Seeing the wood and the trees’ (1) Lisa Huddlestone – ‘Seeing the wood and the trees’ (2) Margarita Avgerinopoulou – ‘A dash of magic’ (1) Margarita Avgerinopoulou – ‘Fantasy at the making’ (2) Martha Papadopoulou – ‘The power of a drop’ (1) Martha Papadopoulou – ‘Every drop counts’! (2) Mayamin Altae - Untitled (or the Tennyson quote) Michael Curtis – ‘The arrival of the shoreline detective’ (1) Michael Curtis – ‘The arrival of the shoreline detective’ (2) Neelam Dave – ‘The damage bacteria can do’ Neil Harris – ‘Colour amongst the chaos’ Nitu Gupta – ‘Far Beyond Insecurities’ Nora Ngii Musyoka – ‘She’s Just the Other Half of Me’ Nukul Charlin – ‘Why are Ladyboy Tolerated in Thai Society?’ Pariyakorn Petkaew – ‘Be silent…Be thinking’ Rachel Belben – ‘Ardeadactylus longicollum’ (1) Rachel Belben – ‘Psittacosaurus’ (2) Roberto Sommariva - Untitled Saima Ahmad – ‘The Command Centre’ (1) Saima Ahmad – ‘Vial do you see it?’ (2) Saima Ahmad – ‘Beyond the Canopy’ (3) Samuel J Perry – ‘Metallic snowflakes’ (1) Samuel J Perry – ‘Metallic snowflakes’ (2) Stephanie Bowry – ‘Storm Clouds over Vaux-le-Vicomte’ Tom Matheson – ‘Ginormous Genome’ (2) Yewande Okuleye – ‘Commemoration, Remembrance and Bodies of Evidence’ Yewande Okuleye, Robert Garner – ‘From pain to pleasure: We no longer just eat our greens, it’s imperative to photograph share and like on Instagram.’ (1) Yewande Okuleye, Robert Garner – ‘A green plaque for animal ethics?’ (2) Yewande Okuleye, Robert Garner – ‘A green plaque for animal ethics?’ (3)</p

Linking Small-scale Solar Wind Properties with Large-scale Coronal Source Regions through Joint Parker Solar Probe-Metis/Solar Orbiter Observations

The solar wind measured in situ by Parker Solar Probe in the very inner heliosphere is studied in combination with the remote-sensing observation of the coronal source region provided by the METIS coronagraph aboard Solar Orbiter. The coronal outflows observed near the ecliptic by Metis on 2021 January 17 at 16:30 UT, between 3.5 and 6.3 R ⊙ above the eastern solar limb, can be associated with the streams sampled by PSP at 0.11 and 0.26 au from the Sun, in two time intervals almost 5 days apart. The two plasma flows come from two distinct source regions, characterized by different magnetic field polarity and intensity at the coronal base. It follows that both the global and local properties of the two streams are different. Specifically, the solar wind emanating from the stronger magnetic field region has a lower bulk flux density, as expected, and is in a state of well-developed Alfvénic turbulence, with low intermittency. This is interpreted in terms of slab turbulence in the context of nearly incompressible magnetohydrodynamics. Conversely, the highly intermittent and poorly developed turbulent behavior of the solar wind from the weaker magnetic field region is presumably due to large magnetic deflections most likely attributed to the presence of switchbacks of interchange reconnection origin.</p