An open magnetosphere model for Mercury

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dc.contributor.advisorReiff, Patricia H.en_US
dc.creatorSarantos, Menelaosen_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T06:36:13Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T06:36:13Zen_US
dc.date.issued2000en_US
dc.description.abstractThe access of incident solar wind plasma to the surface of Mercury is dependent on the magnetic fields in the vicinity of the planet. We present the structure of the Hermean magnetosphere obtained by the Toffoletto-Hill (1993) model of a magnetically interconnected ("open") magnetosphere modified for the strength of the magnetic field of Mercury and scaled to account for the difference in planetary radii between Mercury and the Earth. We calculate open regions for the access of incident particles to the surface as a function of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) direction and of the solar wind pressure. Predictions are also made for cases of limited field penetration. These results are compared with existing sodium data. Although quantitatively crude, the model gives a good qualitative approach on how to interpret the sodium emission. We predict emission is stronger in the southern hemisphere for a positive Bx component, and in the north for a negative Bx. The Bz component regulates the size and position of the open field line region, with more negative Bz's corresponding to more equatorial open flux regions.en_US
dc.format.extent60 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoTHESIS SP. SCI. 2000 SARANTOSen_US
dc.identifier.citationSarantos, Menelaos. "An open magnetosphere model for Mercury." (2000) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17375">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/17375</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/17375en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectAstronomyen_US
dc.subjectAstrophysicsen_US
dc.titleAn open magnetosphere model for Mercuryen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentSpace Scienceen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineNatural Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelMastersen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen_US
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