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Oxygen Ion Escape From Venus Is Modulated by Ultra‐Low Frequency Waves
Author(s) -
Jarvinen Riku,
Alho Markku,
Kallio Esa,
Pulkkinen Tuija, I.
Publication year - 2020
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 - 10.1029/2020gl087462
Subject(s) - foreshock , venus , bow shock (aerodynamics) , physics , solar wind , bow wave , shock wave , ultra low frequency , ion , shock (circulatory) , geophysics , excited state , low frequency , upstream (networking) , plasma , atmospheric sciences , computational physics , atomic physics , astrobiology , mechanics , geology , seismology , astronomy , aftershock , medicine , computer network , quantum mechanics , computer science
We study the solar wind‐driven, nonthermal escape of O + ions from Venus in a global hybrid simulation. In the model, a well‐developed ion foreshock forms ahead of the Venusian quasi‐parallel bow shock under nominal upstream conditions. Large‐scale magnetosonic ultra‐low frequency (ULF) waves at 20‐ to 30‐s period are excited and convect downstream along the foreshock with the solar wind. We show that the foreshock ULF waves transmit through the bow shock in the downstream region and interact with the planetary ion acceleration, causing 25% peak‐to‐peak fluctuations in the O + escape rate. These results demonstrate the importance of upstream plasma waves on the energization and escape of heavy ions from the planetary atmospheres.