Modular model for Mercury's magnetospheric magnetic field confined within the average observed magnetopause.

ABSTRACT: Accurate knowledge of Mercury's magnetospheric magnetic field is required to understand the sources of the planet's internal field. We present the first model of Mercury's magnetospheric magnetic field confined within a magnetopause shape derived from Magnetometer observations by the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging spacecraft. The field of internal origin is approximated by a dipole of magnitude 190 nT R_M³, where R_M is Mercury's radius, offset northward by 479 km along the spin axis. External field sources include currents flowing on the magnetopause boundary and in the cross-tail current sheet. The cross-tail current is described by a disk-shaped current near the planet and a sheet current at larger (≳ 5 R

SUBMITTER: Korth H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5014231 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature