Influence of Solar Wind Variations on the Shapes of Venus’ Plasma Boundaries Based on Venus Express Observations

Abstract

The interaction between the solar wind and Venus creates an induced magnetosphere. The regions of the induced magnetosphere are separated by plasma boundaries, where their shapes and sizes are influenced by variations in the surrounding environment. Investigations of the boundaries and their variability can help us understand the solar wind’s effect on Venus and unmagnetized planets in general. In this study, the bow shock and ion composition boundary locations are investigated using, for the first time, the full data set of plasma and magnetic field measurements by Venus Express taken during 2006–2014. The locations of the boundaries are examined with respect to upstream conditions and the solar cycle. We find, in agreement with previous studies using Pioneer Venus Orbiter measurements, that the bow shock location is mostly sensitive to the solar cycle and the dynamic pressure and that it exhibits asymmetries in the terminator plane, depending on the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field. The asymmetries are mainly attributed to the asymmetry in the pickup ion distribution and thus mass loading in the magnetosheath. The ion composition boundary on the dayside is found to decrease in altitude with increasing dynamic pressure during solar maximum (2006–2011), but shows no clear trends during solar minimum (2011–2014) conditions.

Keywords

• Venus
• Planetary bow shocks
• Plasma physics