2015/10/26 by J. Varela, F. Pantellini, M. Moncuquet · 25 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Atmospheric sciences #Equator #Geology #Geophysics #Interplanetary magnetic field #Interplanetary spaceflight #Latitude #Magnetic field #Magnetopause #Magnetosphere #Magnetosphere of Jupiter #Mercury's magnetic field #Northern Hemisphere #Physics #Planetary Science and Exploration #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Solar wind #astro-ph.EP #physics.space-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.pss.2015.10.004
published in Planetary and Space Science 119, 264-269 (Elsevier BV)
openalex publication_date 2015/10/26 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · arxiv created 2016/08/12 · arxiv updated 2016/08/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The aim of this paper is to study the plasma flows on the Mercury surface for different interplanetary magnetic field orientations on the day side of the planet. We use a single fluid MHD model in spherical coordinates to simulate the interaction of the solar wind with the Hermean magnetosphere for six solar wind realistic configurations with different magnetic field orientations: Mercury-Sun, Sun-Mercury, aligned with the magnetic axis of Mercury (Northward and Southward) and with the orbital plane perpendicular to the previous cases. In the Mercury-Sun (Sun-Mercury) simulation the Hermean magnetic field is weakened in the South-East (North-East) of the magnetosphere leading to an enhancement of the flows on the South (North) hemisphere. For a Northward (Southward) orientation there is an enhancement (weakening) of the Hermean magnetic field in the nose of the bow shock so the fluxes are reduced and drifted to the poles (enhanced and drifted to the equator). If the solar wind magnetic field is in the orbital plane the magnetosphere is tilted to the West (East) and weakened at the nose of the shock, so the flows are enhanced and drifted to the East (West) in the Northern hemisphere and to the West (East) in the Southern hemisphere.