Title: Observations of magnetic anomaly signatures in Mars Express ASPERA-3 ELS data

Author(s): Soobiah Y, Coates AJ, Linder DR, Kataria DO, Winningham JD, Frahm RA, Sharber JR, Scherrer JR, Barabash S, Lundin R, Holmstrom M, Andersson H, Yamauchi M, Grigoriev A, Kallio E, Koskinen H, Sales T, Riihela P, Schmidt W, Kozyra J, Luhmann J, Roelof E, Williams D, Livi S, Curtis CC, Hsieh KC, Sandel BR, Grande M, Carter M, Sauvaud JA, Fedorov A, Thocaven JJ, McKenna-Lawler S, Orsini S, Cerulli-Irelli R, Maggi M, Wurz P, Bochsler P, Krupp N, Woch J, Franz M, Asamura K, Dierker C

Source: ICARUS 182 (2): 396-405 JUN 2006

Document Type: Article

Language: English

Abstract: Mars Express (MEX) Analyser of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms (ASPERA-3) data is providing insights into atmospheric loss on Mars via the solar wind interaction. This process is influenced by both the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the solar wind and by the magnetic 'anomaly' regions of the martian crust. We analyse observations from the ASPERA-3 Electron Spectrometer near to such crustal anomalies. We find that the electrons near remanent magnetic fields either increase in flux to form intensified signatures or significantly reduce in flux to form plasma voids. We suggest that cusps intervening neighbouring magnetic anomalies may provide a location for enhanced escape of planetary plasma. Initial statistical analysis shows that intensified signatures are mainly a dayside phenomenon whereas voids are a feature of the night hemisphere. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords: magnetic fields; solar wind; Mars

KeyWords Plus: FIELD

Addresses: Soobiah Y (reprint author), Univ Coll London, Mullard Space Sci Lab, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT England
Univ Coll London, Mullard Space Sci Lab, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT England
SW Res Inst, San Antonio, TX 78228 USA
Swedish Inst Space Phys, Kiruna, S-98128 Sweden
Finnish Meteorol Inst, Helsinki, FIN-00101 Finland
Univ Helsinki, Dept Phys Sci, Helsinki, FIN-00014 Finland
Univ Michigan, Space Phys Res Lab, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
Univ Calif Berkeley, Space Sci Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
Univ Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
Rutherford Appleton Lab, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX England
Ctr Etud Spatiale Rayonnements, Toulouse, F-31028 France
Natl Univ Ireland, Space Technol Ireland, Maynooth, Kildare Ireland
Inst Fis Spazio Interplanetari, Rome, I-00133 Italy
Univ Bern, Inst Phys, Bern, CH-3012 Switzerland
Max Planck Inst Aeron, Katlenburg Lindau, D-37191 Germany
Inst Space & Astronaut Sci, Sagamihara, Japan
Tech Univ Carolo Wilhelmina Braunschweig, Braunschweig, D-38106 Germany

E-mail Addresses: yijs@mssl.ucl.ac.uk

Publisher: ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE, 525 B ST, STE 1900, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101-4495 USA

Subject Category: ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

IDS Number: 052JE