Hot diamagnetic cavities upstream of the martian bow shock

Abstract

We present Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) observations of hot diamagnetic cavities upstream of the Martian bow shock. The events are characterized by a region of turbulent magnetic field, high electron temperature, and densities at or below ambient solar wind density. The region of high temperature is flanked by layers of high magnetic field and electron density and is accompanied by a rotation in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). We suggest that the events are generated by interplanetary discontinuities interacting with the Martian bow shock, i.e., the events are the Martian counterpart to the hot flow anomalies observed upstream of the Earth's bow shock.