In Situ Evidence of a Twisted Loop-like Magnetic Flux Rope at Mars: A MAVEN and Tianwen-1 Close Conjunction

Le résumé fourni par la source

Abstract Magnetic flux ropes are twisted magnetic field lines that are commonly observed in space and astrophysical plasmas. At Mars, these structures are especially interesting because the planet does not have a global magnetic field like Earth, but instead has remanent magnetic fields preserved in its crust. In this study, we report a close conjunction observation by MAVEN and Tianwen-1 of a magnetic flux rope within the Martian ionosphere. The two spacecraft observed closely related magnetic signatures at near-identical locations and altitudes, allowing us to examine the spatial structure of the event. Our analysis suggests that the observed flux rope may have a loop-like geometry, with magnetic-field lines connected to the Martian dayside ionosphere at both ends. This structure may have formed or evolved through ionospheric instabilities under unusually low solar-wind dynamic pressure or internal reconnection between neighboring crustal magnetic fields. This event shows that Mars may produce a loop-like magnetic flux rope that resembles, in geometry, twisted magnetic loops seen in the solar atmosphere, providing a useful connection between planetary and solar plasma processes.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.