Equatorial distribution of the magnetic field properties around Mercury under quasi-parallel (left) and quasi-perpendicular (right) IMF conditions. (a, a′) Normalised magnetic field strength binned into a grid of 0.1 × 0.1 R_M (|Z| < 0.2 R_M). (b, b′) Average magnetic field strength just downstream of bow shock (0.8 < F < 1, black), upstream (0 < F < 0.2, red), and downstream (−0.1 R_M < r_obs − r_mod < 0 R_M, blue) of the magnetopause as a function of the magnetic local time (MLT). (c, c′) Normalised magnetic field strength along the x-axis (11.5 < MLT < 12.5, |Z| < 0.2 R_M). The solar wind and magnetosheath data are displayed in the SWI coordinate system, and the magnetosphere data are displayed in the aberrated MSM coordinate system.