Studies of the draping and flaring angles of the Mars and Earth magnetotails

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Studies of the draping and flaring angles of the Mars and Earth magnetotails

Zhang, T.-L. / Schwingenschuh, K. / Petrinec, S. M. / Russell, C. T. / Luhmann, J. G. / Rosenbauer, H. / Verigin, M. I. / Kotova, G.

Abstract

Observations of the Mars tail by the spacecraft have been used to estimate the draping angle of the magnetic field within the tail and the boundary flaring angle. The boundary of the tail is defined by the sudden disappearance of the proton flux by the TAUS ion spectrometer. Solar wind measurements by the TAUS instrument are used to calculate the approximate solar wind dynamic pressure when the spacecraft is within the tail boundary. The average draping angle (Acrsin((square root of (B(sub y)(exp 2) + B(sub z)(exp 2)))/B(sub T))) is found to be 27.2 deg +/- 1.4 deg. The draping angle magnitude depends on the solar wind dynamic pressure, but is quite variable. The flaring angle of the tail boundary at X = -2.5 R(sub M) has also been calculated from the balance of pressure between the lobe of the Martian tail and the component pressures of the solar wind. The flaring angle depends strongly on the solar wind dynamic pressure, and this dependence is identical to that obtained at the Earth by Petrinec and Russell. However, the magnitude of the flaring angle at Mars X = -2.5 R(sub M) is one-half the value obtained at Earth for -22.5 R(sub E) is less than or equal to X -10 R(sub E).

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Document information

Title :

Studies of the draping and flaring angles of the Mars and Earth magnetotails

Contributors:

Zhang, T.-L. (author) / Schwingenschuh, K. (author) / Petrinec, S. M. (author) / Russell, C. T. (author) / Luhmann, J. G. (author) / Rosenbauer, H. (author) / Verigin, M. I. (author) / Kotova, G. (author)

Published in:

Advances in Space Research ; 16 , 4

Publication date :

1995-08-01

ISSN :

0273-1177

Type of media :

Miscellaneous

Type of material :

No indication

Language :

English