Modeling the Time‐Dependent Magnetic Fields That BepiColombo Will Use to Probe Down Into Mercury's Mantle

Abstract

Abstract External solar wind variability causes motion of the magnetopause and changes of this boundary's current structure, and the resulting inductive processes, may be exploited to determine the interior structure of magnetized planets. In preparation for the arrival of the BepiColombo spacecraft at Mercury, we here assess solar wind ram pressure forcing in this planet's environment, through analysis of data acquired by the Helios spacecraft, and the impact on the magnetopause's inducing field. These measurements suggest that BepiColombo will see highly unpredictable solar wind conditions and that the inducing field generated in response to variable solar wind ram pressure is non‐uniform across the planet's surface. The inducing magnetic field spectrum, with frequencies in the range of ∼5.5×10−5–1.5×10−2Hz, suggests that the transfer functions derived from the two BepiColombo spacecraft could allow us to obtain a profile of conductivity through Mercury's crust and mantle.

Keywords

• Mercury
• magnetopause
• solar wind
• induction
• interior
• magnetosphere