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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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
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113584
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author Sergey D. Shuvalov
Laila Andersson
Kathleen Gwen Hanley
Jasper S. Halekas
David L. Mitchell
Jared R. Espley
author_facet Sergey D. Shuvalov
Laila Andersson
Kathleen Gwen Hanley
Jasper S. Halekas
David L. Mitchell
Jared R. Espley
author_sort Sergey D. Shuvalov
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-efc5cf0d5434417cadfa547f4c8498b82025-08-20T02:31:09ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-02-01524n/an/a10.1029/2024GL113584Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen AccelerationSergey D. Shuvalov0Laila Andersson1Kathleen Gwen Hanley2Jasper S. Halekas3David L. Mitchell4Jared R. Espley5Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder CO USALaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder CO USASpace Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy The University of Iowa Iowa City IA USASpace Sciences Laboratory University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center Laboratory for Planetary Magnetospheres Greenbelt MD USAAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113584Marsion composition boundarymagnetopausesolar wind
spellingShingle Sergey D. Shuvalov
Laila Andersson
Kathleen Gwen Hanley
Jasper S. Halekas
David L. Mitchell
Jared R. Espley
Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration
Geophysical Research Letters
Mars
ion composition boundary
magnetopause
solar wind
title Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration
title_full Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration
title_fullStr Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration
title_full_unstemmed Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration
title_short Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration
title_sort observation of electric field enhancement at ion composition boundary at mars and its relation to oxygen acceleration
topic Mars
ion composition boundary
magnetopause
solar wind
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113584
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AT kathleengwenhanley observationofelectricfieldenhancementationcompositionboundaryatmarsanditsrelationtooxygenacceleration
AT jaspershalekas observationofelectricfieldenhancementationcompositionboundaryatmarsanditsrelationtooxygenacceleration
AT davidlmitchell observationofelectricfieldenhancementationcompositionboundaryatmarsanditsrelationtooxygenacceleration
AT jaredrespley observationofelectricfieldenhancementationcompositionboundaryatmarsanditsrelationtooxygenacceleration