Fig. 4: Spatial and mass-to-charge distribution of the ion species during BepiColombo's third Mercury flyby.
From: Mercury’s plasma environment after BepiColombo’s third flyby
Ion energy versus mass-to-charge ratios (m/q) for different locations along BepiColombo orbit integrated over ~1024 s between (a) 18:35:11–18:52:15 in the inbound solar wind, (b) 18:52:51–19:09:55 in the inbound magnetosheath, (c) 19:10:30–19:27:34 in the duskside magnetosphere, (d) 19:28:09–19:45:13 passing through the plasma sheet horns and the ring current, (e) 19:45:49–20:02:53 in the outbound magnetosheath and (f) 20:03:28–202:20:32 in the outbound solar wind. The m/q ratios are derived from the Mass Spectrum Analyzer (MSA) Time-Of-Flight (TOF) measurements. The trajectory of BepiColombo is shown in the Mercury–Sun Magnetospheric (MSM) coordinate system projected in the X-Y plane (see Fig. 1 for definition of the MSM). The observation sequences of the TOF spectra of Straight-Through particles in Low mode (TSTL) are shown by the different colors along BepiColombo’s trajectory numbered from 1 to 6. The black crosses denote the observed bow shock and magnetopause crossings.
