Physics
Scientific paper
May 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agusm.u24a..01a&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2007, abstract #U24A-01
Physics
2756 Planetary Magnetospheres (5443, 5737, 6033), 5421 Interactions With Particles And Fields, 5440 Magnetic Fields And Magnetism
Scientific paper
As the MESSENGER spacecraft performed a gravity assist at Mercury on 14 January 2008, observations were made of Mercury's magnetic field, plasma, and energetic particle environment, including the first-ever ion observations at the planet. Mercury's magnetosphere presents a particularly stiff test of theories of the solar wind interaction with magnetized bodies because both the spatial and temporal kinetic and fluid scales overlap to a considerable degree. This overview provides the context for detailed analyses of the many varied phenomena observed as well as quantitative comparisons with fluid and hybrid simulations of Mercury's magnetosphere for this encounter. The magnetosphere was not as dynamic for MESSENGER's first encounter as it was for the comparable Mariner 10 encounter I. The MESSENGER trajectory passed through the system from the nightside dusk flank, across midnight near the planet, and through the bow shock in the morning sector. The inbound shock crossing was typical of flank shocks at smaller obstacles, but there was a prolonged period of intense magnetic turbulence in the sheath prior to the magnetopause crossing, including multiple flux rope signatures. The inbound magnetopause transit occurred near the center of the tail and included structures indicative of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability at the flank magnetopause. Multiple inclusions of proton plasmas were found close to the planet. Three distinct transitions were observed on the outbound trajectory. The first is attributed to an outer layer of solar wind plasma within the magnetosphere. This was followed by a well-defined magnetopause and subsequently by an encounter with a shock displaying many features of a dynamic re-formation typical of quasi- parallel shocks.
Acuña Mario Humberto
Anderson Benjamin J.
Baker Daniel N.
Benna Marcus
Boardsen Scott A.
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