Observation of Electric Field Enhancement at Ion Composition Boundary at Mars and Its Relation to Oxygen Acceleration

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Abstract
Direct electric field measurements during certain ionosphere‐magnetosheath transitions on the dayside of Mars reveal a presence of localized (20 km thickness along vertical direction) strong (40 mV/m) electric field located at the solar wind stagnation point. This electric field is nearly collocated with the ion composition boundary where ionospheric oxygen ions are observed to be accelerated up to 1 keV, forming a layer of higher temperature plasma around the stagnation point. Simulations demonstrate that the observed localized electric field enhancement can create this hotter plasma layer population on either side of the boundary. This plasma layer can have an impact on the solar wind coupling with the planet and forms a reservoir for heavy ion escape.

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