The structure of Mercury's magnetic field from MESSENGER's first flyby.
During its first flyby of Mercury, the MESSENGER spacecraft measured the planet's near-equatorial magnetic field. The field strength is consistent to within an estimated uncertainty of 10% with that observed near the equator by Mariner 10. Centered dipole solutions yield a southward planetary moment of 230 to 290 nanotesla RM3 (where RM is Mercury's mean radius) tilted between 5 degrees and 12 degrees from the rotation axis. Multipole solutions yield non-dipolar contributions of 22% to 52% of the dipole field magnitude. Magnetopause and tail currents account for part of the high-order field, and plasma pressure effects may explain the remainder, so that a pure centered dipole cannot be ruled out.
Anderson
Brian J
BJ
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA. brian.anderson@jhuapl.edu
Acuña
Mario H
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Korth
Haje
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Purucker
Michael E
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Johnson
Catherine L
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Slavin
James A
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Solomon
Sean C
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McNutt
Ralph L
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