The impact of interplanetary magnetic field intensity on the Martian ionosphere

¹ School of Space and Earth Sciences, Beihang University, Beijing, China
² Key Laboratory of Space Environment Monitoring and Information Processing, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, China

^★ Corresponding author; Lvhy@buaa.edu.cn

Received: 20 November 2024
Accepted: 17 January 2025

Abstract

Context. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is one of the important external drivers that controls the Martian-induced magnetosphere and ionosphere. Previous studies have shown that the ion escape process is highly influenced by both the direction and intensity of the IMF. The enhanced IMF may decrease the ion escape rate by inducing a stronger magnetosphere that protects the Martian ionosphere, but the mechanisms have not been investigated thoroughly. Further studies are needed to reveal the response of ionospheric heavy ions to IMF variation as well as the underlying physical mechanism.

Aims. This study aims to investigate the influence the IMF strength has on the Martian ionosphere. We adopted a multifluid magnetohydrodynamic model in this study, which can self-consistently simulate the interaction between solar wind and Mars. By comparing different cases, we analyzed the ionospheric structure on the dayside and near nightside as well as the ion transport process. We aim to obtain a deeper understanding of how the IMF intensity variation impacts the Martian ionosphere and the escape of planetary ions.

Methods. A three-dimensional multifluid MHD model was used to simulate the interaction between the upstream solar wind and Mars. Four major species in the Martian ionosphere, H⁺, O₂⁺, O⁺, and CO₂⁺, are considered in the model, with the chemical reactions and particle collisions included to calculate ion distribution and ion motions. We analyzed three cases where the IMF strength was set to 1 nT, 3 nT, and 5 nT.

Results. The enhancement of the IMF produces a stronger electromagnetic field in the Martian plasma environment. Both the electric field and magnetic field intensity increase, which provides a shielding effect to the Martian ionosphere, hindering the intrusion of solar wind particles. Thus, less planetary ions are produced by the chemical reactions between the solar wind and the Martian neutral particles, leading to shrinkage of the ionospheric upper boundary. As the IMF strength increases, both the day-to-night plasma transport and the ion outflow decreases. Thus, a more depleted nightside ionosphere is formed, and the tailward ion escape may be weakened, decreasing the global ion escape rate. Moreover, the strong crustal fields in the southern hemisphere enhance the electromagnetic field on the southern dayside, which withstand the penetration of solar wind plasma more effectively, resulting in asymmetry structures in the ionosphere.