On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere

Abstract We examine the dynamics of protons during tail‐like to dipole‐like reconfigurations of Mercury's magnetosphere. Such reconfigurations that frequently occur in the highly dynamical Hermean environment are accompanied by induced electric fields leading to short‐lived convection enhanceme...

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Main Authors: D. Delcourt, L. Z. Hadid, S. Aizawa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110351
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author D. Delcourt
L. Z. Hadid
S. Aizawa
author_facet D. Delcourt
L. Z. Hadid
S. Aizawa
author_sort D. Delcourt
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We examine the dynamics of protons during tail‐like to dipole‐like reconfigurations of Mercury's magnetosphere. Such reconfigurations that frequently occur in the highly dynamical Hermean environment are accompanied by induced electric fields leading to short‐lived convection enhancements. Using test particle calculations, we show that, under the effect of such induced electric fields, protons may be subjected to prominent energization while being injected into the inner magnetosphere. We demonstrate that this energization occurs in a nonadiabatic manner and can reach several tens of keV, possibly leading to particle trapping around the planet. Recent observations from BepiColombo during Mercury's third flyby provide evidences of energetic protons drifting in the vicinity of the planet. The present impulsive energization process is a possible mechanism for the build‐up of such populations.
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spelling doaj-art-a6d04c7fb9d94b759e15e729aa77baf12025-08-20T03:16:26ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-11-015121n/an/a10.1029/2024GL110351On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's MagnetosphereD. Delcourt0L. Z. Hadid1S. Aizawa2Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas (LPP), CNRS, Observatoire de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Saclay, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris Palaiseau FranceLaboratoire de Physique des Plasmas (LPP), CNRS, Observatoire de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Saclay, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris Palaiseau FranceLaboratoire de Physique des Plasmas (LPP), CNRS, Observatoire de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Saclay, Ecole polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris Palaiseau FranceAbstract We examine the dynamics of protons during tail‐like to dipole‐like reconfigurations of Mercury's magnetosphere. Such reconfigurations that frequently occur in the highly dynamical Hermean environment are accompanied by induced electric fields leading to short‐lived convection enhancements. Using test particle calculations, we show that, under the effect of such induced electric fields, protons may be subjected to prominent energization while being injected into the inner magnetosphere. We demonstrate that this energization occurs in a nonadiabatic manner and can reach several tens of keV, possibly leading to particle trapping around the planet. Recent observations from BepiColombo during Mercury's third flyby provide evidences of energetic protons drifting in the vicinity of the planet. The present impulsive energization process is a possible mechanism for the build‐up of such populations.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110351
spellingShingle D. Delcourt
L. Z. Hadid
S. Aizawa
On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere
Geophysical Research Letters
title On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere
title_full On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere
title_fullStr On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere
title_full_unstemmed On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere
title_short On the Response of Protons to Dynamical Reconfigurations of Mercury's Magnetosphere
title_sort on the response of protons to dynamical reconfigurations of mercury s magnetosphere
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110351
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