Heavy Ion Escape From Martian Wake Enhanced by Magnetic Reconnection

Mars is a dry planet with history of warm and wet environment. Hydrogen oxygen continuously escape from the unmagnetized planet. Although heavy ion rate in wake region low due to Mars' obstruction, there are reports events bursty enhanced escape. Here, we first find evidence Alfvenic dayside-produced plasma clouds accelerated by magnetic reconnection, which provides an explanation for mass observations Atmosphere Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft. In event reported this study, two types flux ropes were successively observed reconnection exhaust Martian wake. One generated while others produced dayside boundary instability. The ions convected dayside, as well local original ions, can both be expelled tail reconnection. estimated quarter previous statistical result entire region.