Plasma Acceleration by Magnetic Tension Forces in the Martian Magnetotail: MAVEN Observations
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Martian magnetotail is a dynamic region where several processes contribute to plasma acceleration. Here, we analyze years of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) data to evaluate the role of magnetic tension forces in driving plasma acceleration within current sheets in the tail. Based on magnetic field measurements, we identify 547 current sheet crossings that follow a Harris profile and find that the median observed current sheet density is 110 nA , with a typical sheet width of 100 km. We estimate a median normalized of 0.1, and force of N , capable of accelerating planetary ions within the sheets to 1 keV over 2 . We also analyze plasma energization signatures in nine high‐ case studies and find they can be explained by work done by , although observed ion differential streaming suggests additional forces may be present.
Source: Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2025gl119985
Institutions: Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales, Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, West Virginia University, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, University of Iowa, University of Colorado Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
Awards: G3581597466, G3782671888, G6561015458
OpenAlex ID: W4417445349