Widespread plasma jets in the Martian magnetosheath revealed by dual-spacecraft observations.

Widespread plasma jets occur throughout the Martian magnetosheath, unlike Earth where they are confined to specific shock regions, due to Mars' extended hydrogen corona.

• Why it matters: Understanding plasma jet formation is crucial because these structures can significantly perturb magnetospheres and influence solar wind energy transfer, yet their mechanisms and global occurrence are not well understood.
• What they did: Using dual-spacecraft data from Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN and Tianwen-1, the study shows that jets are present across the entire Martian magnetosheath, contrasting with Earth’s more localized jets.
• The result: The findings suggest that planetary intrinsic properties, such as an extended corona generating pickup ions, can govern jet formation, impacting models of solar wind interactions at unmagnetized bodies.