Mars Global MHD Predictions of Magnetic Connectivity Between the Dayside Ionosphere and the Magnetospheric Flanks |
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| Authors: | Michael W Liemohn Yingjuan Ma Rudy A Frahm Xiaohua Fang Janet U Kozyra Andrew F Nagy J David Winningham James R Sharber Stas Barabash Rickard Lundin |
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| Institution: | (1) Center for Planetary Sciences, AOSS Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;(2) Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA;(3) Swedish Institute of Physics, Kiruna, Sweden |
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| Abstract: | Atmospheric photoelectrons have been observed well above the ionosphere of Mars by the ASPERA-3 ELS instrument on Mars Express.
To systematically interpret these observations, field lines from two global MHD simulations were analyzed for connectivity
to the dayside ionosphere (allowing photoelectron escape). It is found that there is a hollow cylinder behind the planet from
1–2 R
M away from the Mars-Sun line that has a high probability of containing magnetic field lines with connectivity to the dayside
ionosphere. These results are in complete agreement with the ELS statistics. It is concluded that the high-altitude photoelectrons
are the result of direct magnetic connectivity to the dayside at the moment of the measurement, and no extra trapping or bouncing
mechanisms are needed to explain the data. |
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| Keywords: | Mars atmospheric photoelectrons Mars Express numerical modeling |
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