The first simultaneous observation of low energy ions and electrons at Mercury during the first BepiColombo flyby

S. Aizawa , Y. Harada , Y. Saito , N. André , M. Persson , D. Delcourt (1) , L. Z. Hadid (2) , B. Katra , M. Fraenz , A. Fedorov , E. Penou , A. Barthe , J. -A. Sauvaud , S. Matsuda (2) , G. Murakami

1 LPCE - Laboratoire de physique et chimie de l'environnement
2 LPP - Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas

The first Mercury flyby by BepiColombo was successfully conducted on the 1st of October 2021 and this is the first time to have the simultaneous observation of low energy ions and electrons at Mercury. The data from Mercury Plasma Particle Experiment (MPPE) onboard Mio/BepiColombo shows (1) the compressed Mercury's magnetosphere compared to the average of MESSENGER observations, (2) boundary motions around magnetopause crossings, (3) periodic signatures in ion and electron spectra in both dawn- and dusk- night sides, which is most likely the ULF waves, and (4) high energy ions and electrons after the closest approach, which indicates the substorm related injection. Detailed analysis of these features will be addressed in the presentation, and compare them with previous MESSENGER and Mariner-10 observations.

Keywords: Exosphere; magnetosphere; dynamics; Mercury

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

S. Aizawa, Y. Harada, Y. Saito, N. André, M. Persson, et al.. The first simultaneous observation of low energy ions and electrons at Mercury during the first BepiColombo flyby. Mercury 2022, 0000, à renseigner, Unknown Region. pp.23-23. ⟨insu-04089902⟩