Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
We present initial results of strong field amplitude flux ropes observed by Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission around Mars during the interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) passage on 8 March 2015. The observed durations were shorter than 5 s and the magnetic field magnitudes peaked above 80 nT, which is a few times stronger than those usually seen in the magnetosheath barrier. These are the first unique observations that MAVEN detected such flux ropes with a strong field at high altitudes (greater than 5000 km). Across these structures, MAVEN coincidentally measured planetary heavy ions with energies higher than a few keV. The spatial properties inferred from the Grad-Shafranov equation suggest that the speed of the structure can be estimated at least an order of magnitude faster than those previously reported quiet-time counterparts. Hence, the space weather event like the ICME passage can be responsible for generating the observed strong field, fast-traveling flux ropes.
Keywords:
Astrophysics
Type:
GSFC-E-DAA-TN40185
,
Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276); 43; 10; 4816-4824
Format:
text
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