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Double‐Peak Structures of Martian Nightside Total Electron Content in Strong Crustal Magnetic Cusp Regions
Author(s) -
Qin JunFeng,
Zou Hong,
Futaana Yoshifumi,
Ye YuGuang,
Hao YongQiang,
Nielsen Erling,
Wang JinSong
Publication year - 2021
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 - 10.1029/2021gl092662
Subject(s) - martian , tec , total electron content , ionosphere , geophysics , cusp (singularity) , geology , mars exploration program , earth's magnetic field , physics , electron , magnetic field , atmospheric sciences , astrobiology , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
With the help of the high‐spatial‐resolution total electron content (TEC) data obtained by Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding on board the Mars Express (MEx) during June 2005 to September 2007, the detailed configurations of the Martian nightside ionosphere in crustal magnetic field cusp regions are researched in this paper. It is found that double‐peak structures of orbital observed TEC values frequently appeared when MEx was crossing through the strong crustal magnetic field cusp regions. This observational result implies that the Martian nightside TECs in the periphery of the cusp regions are generally higher than those in the central areas of the cusp regions, a phenomenon never reported before. By combining the TEC data with the in‐situ electron flux data obtained by the Analyzer of Space Plasma and Energetic Atoms‐3 (ASPERA‐3), it is found that the difference between the fluxes of the electrons precipitating in the central and peripheral areas of the cusp regions can be responsible for the observed TEC double‐peak structures.