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Xu S, Mitchell DL, Whittlesey P, Rahmati A, Livi R, Larson D, Luhmann JG, Halekas JS, Hara T, McFadden JP, Pulupa M, Bale SD, Curry SM, Persson M. Closed magnetic topology in the Venusian magnetotail and ion escape at Venus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6065. [PMID: 39025884 PMCID: PMC11258336 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50480-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Venus, lacking an intrinsic global dipole magnetic field, serves as a textbook example of an induced magnetosphere, formed by interplanetary magnetic fields (IMF) enveloping the planet. Yet, various aspects of its magnetospheric dynamics and planetary ion outflows are complex and not well understood. Here we analyze plasma and magnetic field data acquired during the fourth Venus flyby of the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission and show evidence for closed topology in the nightside and downstream portion of the Venus magnetosphere (i.e., the magnetotail). The formation of the closed topology involves magnetic reconnection-a process rarely observed at non-magnetized planets. In addition, our study provides an evidence linking the cold Venusian ion flow in the magnetotail directly to magnetic connectivity to the ionosphere, akin to observations at Mars. These findings not only help the understanding of the complex ion flow patterns at Venus but also suggest that magnetic topology is one piece of key information for resolving ion escape mechanisms and thus the atmospheric evolution across various planetary environments and exoplanets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaosui Xu
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - David L Mitchell
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Phyllis Whittlesey
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ali Rahmati
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Roberto Livi
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Davin Larson
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Janet G Luhmann
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jasper S Halekas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Takuya Hara
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - James P McFadden
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Marc Pulupa
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Stuart D Bale
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Physics Department, University of California Berkeley, 366 Physics North MC 7300, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Shannon M Curry
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, 7 Gauss Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, 2000 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Moa Persson
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden
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Way MJ, Ostberg C, Foley BJ, Gillmann C, Höning D, Lammer H, O’Rourke J, Persson M, Plesa AC, Salvador A, Scherf M, Weller M. Synergies Between Venus & Exoplanetary Observations: Venus and Its Extrasolar Siblings. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2023; 219:13. [PMID: 36785654 PMCID: PMC9911515 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-023-00953-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Here we examine how our knowledge of present day Venus can inform terrestrial exoplanetary science and how exoplanetary science can inform our study of Venus. In a superficial way the contrasts in knowledge appear stark. We have been looking at Venus for millennia and studying it via telescopic observations for centuries. Spacecraft observations began with Mariner 2 in 1962 when we confirmed that Venus was a hothouse planet, rather than the tropical paradise science fiction pictured. As long as our level of exploration and understanding of Venus remains far below that of Mars, major questions will endure. On the other hand, exoplanetary science has grown leaps and bounds since the discovery of Pegasus 51b in 1995, not too long after the golden years of Venus spacecraft missions came to an end with the Magellan Mission in 1994. Multi-million to billion dollar/euro exoplanet focused spacecraft missions such as JWST, and its successors will be flown in the coming decades. At the same time, excitement about Venus exploration is blooming again with a number of confirmed and proposed missions in the coming decades from India, Russia, Japan, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Here we review what is known and what we may discover tomorrow in complementary studies of Venus and its exoplanetary cousins.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. J. Way
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 USA
- Theoretical Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Colby Ostberg
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 USA
| | - Bradford J. Foley
- Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
| | - Cedric Gillmann
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005 USA
| | - Dennis Höning
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Helmut Lammer
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
| | - Joseph O’Rourke
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA
| | - Moa Persson
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paul Sabatier – Toulouse III, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Arnaud Salvador
- Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University, Box 6010, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 USA
- Habitability, Atmospheres, and Biosignatures Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
| | - Manuel Scherf
- Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstr. 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
- Institute of Physics, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Institute for Geodesy, Technical University, Graz, Austria
| | - Matthew Weller
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, 3600 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058 USA
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Kilpua E, Koskinen HEJ, Pulkkinen TI. Coronal mass ejections and their sheath regions in interplanetary space. LIVING REVIEWS IN SOLAR PHYSICS 2017; 14:5. [PMID: 31997985 PMCID: PMC6956910 DOI: 10.1007/s41116-017-0009-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are large-scale heliospheric transients that originate from the Sun. When an ICME is sufficiently faster than the preceding solar wind, a shock wave develops ahead of the ICME. The turbulent region between the shock and the ICME is called the sheath region. ICMEs and their sheaths and shocks are all interesting structures from the fundamental plasma physics viewpoint. They are also key drivers of space weather disturbances in the heliosphere and planetary environments. ICME-driven shock waves can accelerate charged particles to high energies. Sheaths and ICMEs drive practically all intense geospace storms at the Earth, and they can also affect dramatically the planetary radiation environments and atmospheres. This review focuses on the current understanding of observational signatures and properties of ICMEs and the associated sheath regions based on five decades of studies. In addition, we discuss modelling of ICMEs and many fundamental outstanding questions on their origin, evolution and effects, largely due to the limitations of single spacecraft observations of these macro-scale structures. We also present current understanding of space weather consequences of these large-scale solar wind structures, including effects at the other Solar System planets and exoplanets. We specially emphasize the different origin, properties and consequences of the sheaths and ICMEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Kilpua
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannu E. J. Koskinen
- Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Meteorological Institute, Espoo, Finland
| | - Tuija I. Pulkkinen
- Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
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