loading page

Two Types of Martian Magnetotail Current Sheets: MAVEN Observations of Ion Composition
  • +5
  • XinZhou Li,
  • Zhaojin Rong,
  • Markus Fraenz,
  • Lucy Klinger,
  • Zhen Shi,
  • Chi Zhang,
  • jiawei gao,
  • Yong Wei
XinZhou Li
Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences
Author Profile
Zhaojin Rong
Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Markus Fraenz
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research
Author Profile
Lucy Klinger
Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research
Author Profile
Zhen Shi
Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences
Author Profile
Chi Zhang
Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences
Author Profile
jiawei gao
Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences
Author Profile
Yong Wei
Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences
Author Profile

Abstract

The ion composition of the tail current sheet is essential to understanding the Martian ion escape, however, our current knowledge is poor. Using measurements by Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN), we investigate the density of different ion species in the Martian magnetotail current sheet. We find that events we survey of the current sheet, the average occurrence rate of current sheets with dominant heavy ions (O+ and O2+) is about 50%, while the rate of those with dominant H+ is about 20%. A current sheet closer to the terminator is mostly dominated by heavy ions, regardless of upstream solar wind, but it could be dominated sometimes by H+ when it is beyond the downstream distance of 0.75 RM (RM is Mars’ radius), where the occurrence rate of current sheets with dominant H+ (heavy ions) weakly increases (decreases) with solar wind density and dynamic pressure.