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Magnetic Reconnection on Dayside Crustal Magnetic Fields at Mars: MAVEN Observations
Author(s) -
Harada Y.,
Halekas J. S.,
DiBraccio G. A.,
Xu S.,
Espley J.,
Mcfadden J. P.,
Mitchell D. L.,
Mazelle C.,
Brain D. A.,
Hara T.,
Ma Y. J.,
Ruhunusiri S.,
Jakosky B. M.
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1002/2018gl077281
Subject(s) - geophysics , mars exploration program , magnetic reconnection , ionosphere , magnetosphere , physics , martian , magnetic field , earth's magnetic field , atmosphere of mars , interplanetary magnetic field , field line , solar wind , geology , astrobiology , quantum mechanics
Abstract The identification of magnetic reconnection on the dayside of Mars has been elusive owing to the lack of comprehensive plasma and field measurements. Here we present direct measurements of dayside in situ reconnection signatures by the comprehensive particles and fields package on board the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft over strong crustal magnetic fields in the southern hemisphere of Mars. During a crossing of a bifurcated current sheet consisting of northward and southward magnetic fields, MAVEN recorded (i) ionospheric photoelectrons trapped on closed magnetic field lines, (ii) Hall magnetic fields and a nonzero normal field with polarity consistent with a crossing northward of the X line, and (iii) northward Alfvénic ion jets. Dayside magnetic reconnection on crustal magnetic fields could control the global configuration and topology of the Martian magnetosphere and alter the ion escape pattern from the dayside ionosphere.