The magnetospheric dynamics of Earth and Mercury

Abstract:

Recent results from the MESSENGER mission have confirmed that Mercury is at the extreme end of the spectrum of planetary dynamics in our solar system, and have provided significant insights into the physics of magnetic reconnection and solar wind-magnetosphere coupling in planetary environments. While Mercury’s mini-magnetosphere is a unique domain, greater understanding of these underlying physical processes is fundamental to magnetospheric physics in our solar system and beyond. In this talk we will compare the similarities and differences between the Earth’s magnetosphere and that of Mercury, focusing on the characteristic spatial and temporal timescales for dynamics at the two planets.