Current systems in the Martian Space
Abstract
Based on a single fluid, multi-species MHD model(Ma et al., 2004), the distribution of the currents in the Martian space are calculated and analyzed. The results show there are 4 categories of currents, the bow shock current, magnetic pileup boundary current, the ionosphere current and the magnetotail current in the Martian space. Currents flow on the surface of the bow shock independently, with the peak current density located around the subsolar point. At dayside, the magnetic pileup boundary current closes through the ionosphere; while at nightside, magnetic pileup boundary current couples with the central current sheet in the tail region to form a complete circuit. The orientation and polarity of the currents are mainly controlled by the IMF and the crustal fields. With the crustal magnetic fields, the distribution of current in the space near the planet is quite complicated. For example, we find looped, wrinkled current streamlines in the southern ionosphere, and the central current sheet at night side is splinted into several slices. However, the crustal magnetic fields do not change the general orientation of the ionospheric current, and the influence of the crustal magnetic fields on the current system is mainly limited within ~1.8R _{M} from the planet.
- Publication:
-
39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012cosp...39.1066L