Computer Science
Scientific paper
Apr 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003eaeja.....5111d&link_type=abstract
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly, Abstracts from the meeting held in Nice, France, 6 - 11 April 2003, abstract #5111
Computer Science
Scientific paper
We examine the circulation of heavy ions of planetary origin within Mercury's magnetosphere. Using single particle trajectory calculations, we focus on the dynamics of sodium ions, one of the main species that are sputtered from the planet surface. The numerical simulations reveal a significant populating of the near-Mercury environment in the nightside sector, with energetic (several keVs) Na^+ densities that reach several tenths of ions per cc at perihelion. At aphelion, a lesser (by about one order of magnitude) density contribution is obtained due to weaker photon and solar wind fluxes. The numerical simulations also display several features of interest that follow from the small spatial scales of Mercury's magnetosphere. First, in contrast to the situation prevailing at Earth, ions in the magnetospheric lobes are found to be relatively energetic (a few hundreds of eVs) despite the low-energy character of the exospheric source. This results from enhanced centrifugal acceleration during ExB transport over the polar cap. Second, large Larmor radii in the mid-tail yield the loss of most Na^+ into the dusk flank tailward of about 3 R_M radial distance. Because gyroradii are comparable to or larger than the magnetic field variation length scale, the Na^+ motion is also found to be nonadiabatic throughout most of Mercury's equatorial magnetosphere, leading to chaotic scattering into the loss cone or resonant (Speiser-type) energization in the near-tail. As a direct consequence of this, a localized region of energetic Na+ precipitation develops at the planet surface. This region which extends over a wide range of longitudes at mid-latitudes (˜30^o-40^o) likely yields enhanced sputtering of planetary material.
Berthelier Jean-Jacques
Delcourt Dominique C.
Grimald Sandrine
LeBlanc Francis
Millilo A.
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