Dr. Opgenoorth and The Interaction of Mars with the Solar Wind
Crowds of research fellows gathered at NSSC to listen the academic report by Dr. Hermann J. Opgenoorth on 6th December. The topic he covered is The Interaction of Mars with the Solar Wind: Induced Magnetosphere and Ionospheric Ion Outflow.
Previously, the science community believed that with the exception of some remnant crustal magnetic field pockets the planet Mars has lost its internal magnetic field, and thus interacts with the impinging Solar wind plasma flow and the interplanetary magnetic field very much like an unmagnetised body. In that way its upper atmosphere suffers from heavy erosion due to solar wind drag. However, Dr. Opgenoorth pointed out, a closer look from satellites like the NASA Mars Global Surveyor MGS, and ESA’s Mars Express has revealed that the interaction with the Solar wind is much more complicated than that.
Dr. Opgenoorth reviewed some of the recent work using MGS and M-Ex data concerning plasma processes in the Martian upper atmosphere, i.e. ionospheric conductivities, possible current flows, and ion outflow from the planetary atmosphere in response to the variable Solar wind.
Dr. Hermann J. Opgenoorth once worked at ESA as Head of Solar System Missions Division. Currently, he works at Swedish Institute of Space Physics.
(Supplied by Office of International Cooperation)
