VARIABILITY OF BOW SHOCK LOCATION AT MARS

Bow shock formation, in case the supersonic solar wind flow is hindered by the atmosphere of Mars, is investigated. The atoms newly ionized from the extensive neutral atmosphere of Mars are loaded to the solar wind. By the conservation of momentum, the solar wind velocity is decreased. Then the supersonic flow velocity drops to the subsonic flow velocity in front of Mars at certain region, which is called the bow shock. The location of Mars subsolar bow shock is highly varying in the range of 1.3 to 2.5 Rm. Martian bow shock location is estimated by one-dimensional flux tube equations reduced from full three-dimensional MHD equations. The variability of Mars bow shock location effected by the solar wind conditions is studied. It is evident that the solar wind dynamic pressure change is able to make the Mars bow shock location variable.