Mercury's magnetic field is very unique! It is very weak, it is very symmetric about its rotation axis, and it appears offset with respect to the planet's equator. Mercury's surrounding space environment is also filled with magnetic fields coming from currents in the planet's magnetosphere. The planet's proximity to the Sun, its weak internal magnetic field, and a lack of an ionosphere where external currents can close through, mean that the external fields around Mercury dominate magnetic field observations made in orbit around Mercury, allowing only a partial glimpse (low spatial degree understanding) of the planet's internal field. 

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Better characterizing Mercury's field will improve our understanding of planetary magnetic fields and interiors in general. It will also shed light on planet formation, evolution, and dynamics. As the only other rocky planet with a present day magnetic field in the solar system, it is important that we understand it's generation mechanism and the physics that drives the system. 

 

My work is focused on 1) correcting for the large external field signals in the magnetic observations made around Mercury, and 2) understanding the interior structure and dynamics that can yield the improved view of the planet's field. I use magnetohydrodynamic simulations (both magnetospheric & dynamo models) to gain better understanding of Mercury's interior. For this work, I was awarded the Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (NASA FINESST) award in 2019. 

 

Below is a video from my simulation of Mercury magnetosphere using the GAMERA model (part of on-going work). The video shows the  external magnetic fields around the planet (small arrows) and the plasma structure of the magnetosphere (the orange-red hues in the background).