Electric fields in the Hermean environment Original Research Article

Returning to Mercury with the BepiColombo mission will provide a unique opportunity to obtain in situ information on the electric field in Mercury’s magnetosphere. The electric field plays a crucial role for plasma transport in the magnetosphere, for transfer of energy between different parts of the system, and for propagation of information. Measuring the electric field, we will be able to better understand plasma motion and wave propagation in Mercury’s magnetosphere. Together with knowledge of the magnetic field a better understanding will be derived of the magnetospheric current systems and their closure at or near the planetary surface. Further, insight into possible substorms at Mercury will be gained. We here focus on the expected amplitudes and frequencies of the electric fields concerned and the requirements for instrument capability that they pose.