Explanipedia

Examining the Radial Evolution of a Corotating Interaction Region Observed at STEREO-A and MAVEN Open

S.A. Henderson, Rachael Filwett, Christina O. Lee, R. Jolitz, Robert C. Allen , et al. · 2025

Corotating interaction regions (CIRs) are long-lasting solar wind structures that persist over multiple solar rotations. These structures accelerate particles throughout the heliosphere and can impart significant energy onto planetary iono…

An Iterative, Deep Learning Approach for Switchback Classification in Parker Solar Probe Data Open

D. C. P. Kuruppuaratchi, J. Gruesbeck · 2025

A neural network model known as ParkerNet has been implemented for classifying switchbacks in Parker Solar Probe (PSP) data. ParkerNet is a binary classification neural network model that combines convolutional neural network layers with b…

Multipoint observations of an atypical coronal mass ejection from Earth to Mars informed by early Europa Clipper data Open

A. Luspay‐Kuti, Drew Turner, R. L. McNutt, A. B. Crew, J. H. Westlake , et al. · 2025

Europa Clipper, NASA’ s flagship planetary mission launched on 14 October 2024, is now en route to Jupiter' s ocean-world Europa via gravity assist maneuvers at Mars (accomplished on 1 March 2025) and Earth (scheduled for December 2026). T…

What drives Mars’ nightside Ionosphere? Insights from in situ and remote sensing Open

R. J. Lillis, M. Marquette, Majd Mayyasi, Yingjuan Ma, David Mitchell , et al. · 2025

Mars’ nightside ionosphere is highly variable and poorly understood, with several internal, external, and local factors affecting multiple sources of ionospheric plasma, all combining to drive highly complex behavior. The three primary pla…

The Ionopause at Mars and Its Correlation With Magnetic Topology and Plasma Pressure Open

Katerina Stergiopoulou, Beatriz Sánchez‐Cano, M. Lester, C. M. Fowler, D. J. Andrews , et al. · 2025

We utilize Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) observations to investigate the ionopause boundary at Mars, the formation process of which is not yet well described. We focus on the eighth deep dip campaign (DD8), which consists …

Simulating Impacts of Electron Precipitation on Mars' Nightside Ionosphere With an Empirical Model Open

M. Marquette, R. J. Lillis, D. J. Pawlowski, Jean‐Yves Chaufray, Yingjuan Ma , et al. · 2025

With the aim of improving global simulations of the Martian ionosphere, we present an empirical model of 137 electron impact processes—including ionization, dissociation, and excitation—on the nightside of Mars, based on MAVEN in situ data…

Predicted times, spatial coordinates of bow shock crossings and shock geometry at Mars from the NASA/MAVEN mission, using spacecraft ephemerides and magnetic field data, with a predictor-corrector algorithm Open

Cyril Simon Wedlund, M. Volwerk, Arnaud Beth, C. Mazelle, Christian Möstl , et al. · 2025

CHARACTERISTICSPlanet: MarsRadius: RM = 3389.5 km (volumetric mean planetary radius)Spacecraft: NASA/Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN)Spacecraft coordinates system: Mars Solar Orbital (MSO) equivalent to Sun-State coordinate s…

Piercing the Martian Veil: A Statistical Study of Interplanetary Magnetic Field Reach Through Ionospheric Pressure Balance Open

Skylar Shaver, L. Andersson, Robin Ramstad, Bhagyashree Waghule, D. A. Brain , et al. · 2025

Mars, being a small planet with a tenuous atmosphere, does not have a sharp boundary between regions dominated by solar wind plasma and planetary plasma. Instead, this transition is typically extended, allowing the interplanetary magnetic …

Foreshock Ultralow Frequency Waves at Mars: Consequence on the Particle Acceleration Mechanisms at the Martian Bow Shock Open

N. Andrés, Norberto Romanelli, C. Mazelle, Li‐Jen Chen, J. Gruesbeck , et al. · 2025

Using Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Magnetometer observations, we report the first statistical study of ultralow frequency (ULF) waves at the Martian foreshock. The analyzed foreshock ULF wave events are observed in the 0.008–0.08…

Application of a Scale Normalization Technique for High Resolution Analysis of the Magnetosheath at Mars Open

Jacob Fruchtman, J. S. Halekas, F. G. Eparvier, J. Gruesbeck, C. Mazelle , et al. · 2024

In order to study spatial distributions of global magnetosheath structures, physicists often rely upon spatial binning, whereby space is divided into cells, each filled with the average value of all spacecraft measurements within that cell…

Heavy Ion Escape at Mars during the Disappearing Solar Wind Event in 2022 December Open

Han‐Wen Shen, J. S. Halekas, J. P. McFadden, J. Gruesbeck, N. R. Schnepf · 2024

A unique event known as the disappearing solar wind (DSW), characterized by an extremely low-density solar wind stream, occurred at Mars on 2022 December 26–27. As this stream flowed past Mars, several properties of the Mars–solar wind int…

Two‐Spacecraft Observations of Asymmetric Martian Bow Shock: Conjunctions of Tianwen‐1 and MAVEN Open

Long Cheng, Yuming Wang, R. J. Lillis, J. S. Halekas, B. Langlais , et al. · 2024

The Martian bow shock has been extensively studied through magnetic field and plasma instrument observations from various Mars space missions. However, prior investigations primarily involve statistical analyses based on single spacecraft …

Foreshock Ultra-Low Frequency Waves at Mars: Consequence on the Particle Acceleration Mechanisms at the Martian Bow Shock Open

N. Andrés, Norberto Romanelli, C. Mazelle, Li‐Jen Chen, J. Gruesbeck , et al. · 2024

Using Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Magnetometer observations, we report the first statistical study of ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves at the Martian foreshock. The analyzed foreshock ULF wave events are observed in the 0.008-0.0…

The Incompressible Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Cascade Rate Upstream of Mars: Effects of the Total Energy and the Cross-helicity on Solar Wind Turbulence Open

Norberto Romanelli, N. Andrés, G. A. DiBraccio, J. L. Verniero, J. Gruesbeck , et al. · 2024

Solar wind turbulence is a dynamical phenomenon that evolves with heliocentric distance. Orbiting Mars since 2014 September, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN offers a unique opportunity to explore some of its main properties beyond ∼…

The role of magnetic topology and plasma pressure on the ionopause formation at Mars Open

Katerina Stergiopoulou, Beatriz Sánchez‐Cano, M. Lester, C. M. Fowler, D. J. Andrews , et al. · 2024

At planets with no intrinsic dipolar magnetic field such as Mars, an ionopause is often formed, a boundary that separates the planetary plasma from the solar wind. The ionopause boundary and its formation drivers in the upper dayside ionos…

The Incompressible Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Cascade Rate Upstream of Mars: Effects of the Total Energy and the Cross-Helicity on Solar Wind Turbulence Open

Norberto Romanelli, N. Andrés, G. A. DiBraccio, Jaye Verniero, J. Gruesbeck , et al. · 2024

Solar wind turbulence is a dynamical phenomenon that evolves with heliocentric distance. Orbiting Mars since September 2014, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) offers a unique opportunity to explore some of its main properties …

Exploring Mars discrete aurora with synoptic images and movies from EMM EMUS Open

R. J. Lillis, Krishnaprasad Chirakkil, Justin Deighan, Matthew Fillingim, Sonal Jain , et al. · 2024

Benefiting from a large orbit and high sensitivity, the Emirates Mars mission EMUS instrument has provided the first opportunity to synoptically and regularly image Mars’ discrete FUV auroral oxygen emission at 130.4 and 135.6 nm.…

The Martian Ionospheric Response to the Co‐Rotating Interaction Region That Caused the Disappearing Solar Wind Event at Mars Open

Skylar Shaver, Lincoln Solt, L. Andersson, J. S. Halekas, L. K. Jian , et al. · 2024

An unusually low density solar wind event was observed in December 2022 moving past both Earth and Mars. The source was traced back to a coronal hole and active region on the Sun's surface. The resulting solar wind lead to the development …

Switchbacks and Associated Magnetic Holes Observed near the Alfvén Critical Surface Open

Anthony P. Rasca, W. M. Farrell, J. Gruesbeck, R. J. MacDowall, S. D. Bale , et al. · 2023

During recent solar encounters, the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) began its initial dips below the Alfvén critical surface to measure in situ the sub-Alfvénic coronal wind. While the near-Sun super-Alfvénic solar wind is shown to be dominated b…

Will we find Martian lightning via Schumann resonances? Open

T. M. Esman, J. R. Espley, J. Gruesbeck, A. Verbiscer, J. Giacalone , et al. · 2023

Schumann resonances are electromagnetic resonances generally associated with lightning. If they exist on Mars, Schumann resonances are expected to resonate within the ionospheric cavity at a fundamental frequency of 7–14 Hz. We conducted a…

Seasonal and Mach Number Variation of the Martian Bow Shock Structure Open

Jacob Fruchtman, J. S. Halekas, J. Gruesbeck, D. L. Mitchell, C. Mazelle · 2023

Like its terrestrial counterpart, the Martian bow shock can exhibit foot, ramp, and overshoot substructures. The shock extent is known to vary with solar wind and season, but it remains an open question whether other features of the bow sh…

Transient Foreshock Structures Upstream of Mars: Implications of the Small Martian Bow Shock Open

Hadi Madanian, N. Omidi, D. G. Sibeck, L. Andersson, Robin Ramstad , et al. · 2023

The typical subsolar stand‐off distance of Mars' bow shock is of the order of a solar wind ion convective gyroradius, making it highly non‐planar to incident ions. Using spacecraft observations and a test particle model, we illustrate the …

The Multiview Observatory for Solar Terrestrial Science (MOST) Open

N. Gopalswamy, S. Christe, S. F. Fung, Q. Gong, J. Gruesbeck , et al. · 2023

We report on a study of the Multiview Observatory for Solar Terrestrial Science (MOST) mission that will provide comprehensive imagery and time series data needed to understand the magnetic connection between the solar interior and the sol…

MAVEN Observations of Steepened Ultra-Low Frequency Waves in the Upstream Martian Foreshock Region Open

Gangkai Poh, J. R. Espley, Shaosui Xu, G. Le, Norberto Romanelli , et al. · 2023

In this study, we present the analysis of steepened ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves in the foreshock region upstream of Mars’ bow shock observed by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft at Mars. A survey of MA…

Martian Ionospheric Magnetic Fluctuations Open

T. M. Esman, J. R. Espley, J. Gruesbeck, Christopher J. Fowler, Shaosui Xu , et al. · 2023

Understanding the properties and variability of the ionosphere is vital for understanding the atmosphere of Mars. The presence and property of waves provide insight into the plasma and magnetic environment. We conducted a search for 5 - 16…

Sinuous Aurora at Mars: exploring a new phenomenon with data and models Open

R. J. Lillis, Abigail Azari, Yingjuan Ma, Krishnaprasad Chirakkil, Justin Deighan , et al. · 2023

Benefiting from a large orbit and high sensitivity, the Emirates Mars mission EMUS instrument has provided the first opportunity to regularly image Mars’ discrete FUV aurora synoptically. EMUS has collected nearly 1000 synoptic…

Exploring the Solar Wind‐Planetary Interaction at Mars: Implication for Magnetic Reconnection Open

C. F. Bowers, G. A. DiBraccio, J. A. Slavin, J. Gruesbeck, Tristan Weber , et al. · 2023

The Martian crustal magnetic anomalies present a varied, asymmetric obstacle to the imposing draped interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind plasma. Magnetic reconnection, a ubiquitous plasma phenomenon responsible for transferri…

Transient Foreshock Structures Upstream of Mars: Implications of the Small Martian Bow Shock Open

H. Madanian, N. Omidi, D. G. Sibeck, L. Andersson, R. Ramstad , et al. · 2023

We characterize the nature of magnetic structures in the foreshock region of Mars associated with discontinuities in the solar wind. The structures form at the upstream edge of moving foreshocks caused by slow rotations in the interplaneta…

Magnetic Field Fluctuations from the Solar Wind to the Surface of Mars Open

T. M. Esman, J. R. Espley, J. Gruesbeck, J. Giacalone, Alexa Halford · 2023

The magnetic environment of Mars is a complex and unique mix of draped interplanetary magnetic fields and localized crustal magnetic fields.The ionosphere of Mars provides an obstacle to the solar wind, which results in an induced magnetos…

EMM EMUS Observations of Martian nightside discrete EUV and FUV Aurora Open

R. J. Lillis, Justin Deighan, Sonal Jain, Greg Holsclaw, Matthew Fillingim , et al. · 2022

<p>Here we report on synoptic (or “disk”) observations of Martian discrete aurora in the extreme and far ultraviolet (<200 nm), made by the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) on board the Emirates Ma…

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