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The Influence of IMF Clock Angle on Dayside Flux Transfer Events at Mercury
Author(s) -
Leyser Roger P.,
Imber Suzanne M.,
Milan Stephen E.,
Slavin James A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl074858
Subject(s) - magnetopause , magnetosheath , interplanetary magnetic field , magnetometer , geophysics , exosphere , mercury (programming language) , flux (metallurgy) , geology , geodesy , solar wind , magnetic field , physics , materials science , ion , quantum mechanics , computer science , programming language , metallurgy
Analysis of MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) data has shown for the first time that the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the magnetosheath of Mercury plays a crucial role in the formation of flux transfer events (FTEs) at the dayside magnetopause. During the first 4 Hermean years of MESSENGER's orbit around Mercury, we have identified 805 FTEs using magnetometer data. Under conditions of near‐southward IMF, at least one FTE was detected on nearly 70% of passes through the magnetopause but the observation rate during northward IMF was less than 20%. FTEs were also observed preferentially in the prenoon sector.