Study on formation processes of Martian magnetic flux ropes observed downstream from crustal magnetic fields based on the Grad-Shafranov reconstruction technique

Abstract:

Magnetic flux ropes have been observed even in unmagnetized planets' ionosphere, such as Venus and Mars. In the case of Mars, the origin of Martian flux ropes is owing to not only the interplanetary magnetic field and associated draped magnetic fields, but also crustal magnetic fields. Planetary ions are energized through the direct interaction of the solar wind with the upper atmosphere, resulting in ion escape into interplanetary space. Hence magnetic flux ropes can contribute to the ion escape rates, because they may confine large amounts of ionospheric plasma.

Here, we investigated formation processes of Martian magnetic flux ropes observed downstream from strong crustal magnetic fields in the southern hemisphere based on the Grad-Shafranov reconstruction (GSR) technique. The GSR technique can provide a two-dimensional axial magnetic field map as well as flux ropes axial orientation from single spacecraft data under assumptions that the structure is magneto-hydrostatic and time-independent. We reconstructed the 297 magnetic flux ropes from Mars Global Surveyor measurements between April 1999 and November 2006.

Based on characteristics of their geometrical axial orientation and transverse magnetic field topology, we found that they can be mainly distinguished according to whether draped interplanetary magnetic fields overlaying on the crustal magnetic fields are involved or not. For approximately two-thirds of the events, they can be formed by magnetic reconnection between neighboring crustal magnetic fields attached to the surface. For the remaining events, however, magnetic reconnection between the crustal and overlaid draping magnetic fields seems to be necessary. Since the overlaid draping magnetic field connects to interplanetary space, planetary ions included inside those flux ropes can be easy to escape from Mars. We also quantitatively evaluate lower limits on potential ion escape rates from Mars owing to the magnetic flux ropes based on the GSR results, and discuss the contribution of magnetic flux ropes to the ion escape rate from Mars.