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Martian bow shock: Phobos observations
Author(s) -
Schwingenschuh K.,
Riedler W.,
Lichtenegger H.,
Yeroshenko Ye.,
Sauer K.,
Luhmann J. G.,
Ong M.,
Russell C. T.
Publication year - 1990
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/gl017i006p00889
Subject(s) - bow shock (aerodynamics) , physics , solar wind , martian , mars exploration program , bow wave , shock (circulatory) , magnetosheath , shock wave , geophysics , geology , astronomy , astrobiology , plasma , magnetopause , mechanics , medicine , quantum mechanics
Data obtained with the MAGMA magnetometer on the subsolar passes of the Phobos spacecraft during its 3 elliptic orbits reveals a turbulent bow shock with a strong foot consistent with the reflection of solar wind protons. The bow shock lies at a subsolar distance of 1.47 ± .03 R M . The circular orbit phase of the mission reveals a bow shock with a highly varying location. The median terminator crossing lies at 2.72 Mars radii. The location of the bow shock in the terminator plane is sensitive to neither the EUV flux nor to planetary longitude.