Observation of the Venus mantle, the boundary region between solar wind and ionosphere

Abstract

For three orbit paths of the Pioneer Venus orbiter the interaction between the solar wind and the Venusian ionosphere has been studied. Results of the retarding potential analyzer and the magnetometer are described for the boundary region between the solar wind and the planetary ionosphere. These are the first measurements that show that a transition region exists between the two plasmas of different origin. The observed magnetic field and current system producing it appear strong enough to stop the solar wind flow in front of the ionosphere and to separate the shocked solar wind from the ionosphere. The transition region between the ionosheath and the ionosphere is called the ‘mantle.’ The observed mantle electron energy spectra close to the ionopause show ionospheric character. With increasing height the number of electrons that have ionospheric energies decreases, and the number of electrons that have solar wind energies gradually increases toward the ionosheath boundary, where only solar wind energy spectra are observed. The mantle surrounds the frontside of the ionosphere and extends probably more than eight Venus radii downstream.