Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p24a..06r&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P24A-06
Physics
Plasma Physics
[2756] Magnetospheric Physics / Planetary Magnetospheres, [2764] Magnetospheric Physics / Plasma Sheet, [6235] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Mercury, [7894] Space Plasma Physics / Instruments And Techniques
Scientific paper
The MESSENGER spacecraft measured the bulk plasma characteristics of Mercury’s magnetosphere and solar wind environment with the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer (FIPS) sensor during three flybys of the planet on 14 January 2008, 6 October 2008, and 29 September 2009. FIPS has a near-hemispheric instantaneous field of view and provides plasma and compositional parameters for particles from 100 eV to 13 keV energy per charge at 8-s time resolution. In combination with magnetic field data, we first identified macroscopic features of Mercury's plasma environment observed during the three flybys, including bow-shock and magnetopause crossings as well as the magnetospheric plasma sheet and lobe. We then devised procedures to recover density and temperature through use of a software instrument model that includes the time-dependent instrument field of view, as well as spacecraft position and velocity coordinates. Finally, we recovered parameters from flow-breaking regions, where magnetospheric flow stagnates. In these regions, recovery is greatly simplified by the assumption of zero plasma velocity toward the planet, thus providing a good place for the first application of our recovery procedure.
Gloeckler George
Krimigis Stamatios M.
McNutt Ralph L.
Raines Jim M.
Slavin James Arthur
No associations
LandOfFree
MESSENGER Observations of the Plasma Environment near Mercury does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with MESSENGER Observations of the Plasma Environment near Mercury, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and MESSENGER Observations of the Plasma Environment near Mercury will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1770166