Abstract | Within the Solar System, planetary magnetospheres show a great diversity of responses to the
variable solar wind in which they are plunged, depending on several parameters such as their
size, the rotation properties of their host planet and its magnetic field strength. Among all the
magnetised planets, Mercury has the magnetosphere that is the most dependent on the solar
wind dynamics, for several reasons, including its proximity to the Sun and its very slow rotation.
Results from the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury, NASA’s MESSENGER mission (2011-
2015) showed surprisingly fast-paced changes in the behaviour of magnetic fields and plasmas
near Mercury. The BepiColombo (ESA/JAXA) mission has built on this knowledge, with
its scientific observing strategy planned to take advantage of knowledge gained from previous
exploration of this tiny but dramatic world. We present numerical simulations of the
magnetosphere of Mercury under different solar wind and interplanetary magnetic
field conditions, tested against data from MESSENGER and BepiColombo first flybys of the
planet. We also provide identification of regions of interest to investigate with BepiColombo
from 2025. |
