Investigation of Martian Magnetic Topology Response to 2017 September ICME

Shaosui Xu , Xiaohua Fang , David L. Mitchell , Yingjuan Ma , Janet G. Luhmann , Gina A. Dibraccio , Tristan Weber , David Brain , Christian Mazelle (1) , Shannon M. Curry , Christina O. Lee

1 IRAP - Institut de recherche en astrophysique et planétologie

Many aspects of the Sun-Mars interaction have been investigated during solar transient events with measurements from multiple spacecrafts and also simulation efforts. Limited discussion has been paid to magnetic topology response to disturbed upstream conditions. The implications of topology changes include, but are not limited to, the pattern of energetic particle precipitation into the Martian atmosphere and the impact on cold ion escape during solar transient events as low-energy ion escape is dependent on magnetic topology. In this study, we investigate the magnetic topology response to the 2017 September interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) event with measurements collected by the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft. It is found that the interface between draped interplanetary magnetic field and closed field lines was moved from 800-1400 km in altitude during quiet conditions to 200-400 km after ICME arrived at Mars and then relaxed back to high altitudes again after the event. To gain insight into magnetic topology response on a global scale, we first validate magnetic topology from a time-dependent simulation with a single-fluid multispecies magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model by comparing magnetic topology determined from Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN data, which shows a good agreement. Then we present MHD predictions of global magnetic topology changes during this ICME event. In addition to a deeper interplanetary magnetic field penetration, MHD results suggest more open field lines in response to the ICME event.

Keywords: Mars; magnetic topology; ICME

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

Shaosui Xu, Xiaohua Fang, David L. Mitchell, Yingjuan Ma, Janet G. Luhmann, et al.. Investigation of Martian Magnetic Topology Response to 2017 September ICME. Geophysical Research Letters, 2018, 45, pp.7337-7346. ⟨10.1029/2018GL077708⟩. ⟨insu-03678188⟩