Mars' External Magnetic Field as Seen From the Surface With InSight

The magnetometer of the InSight mission operated on the Martian surface from November 2018 until May 2022. Previously, satellites have provided information on the Martian magnetic field environment from orbit; however, the degree to which external fields penetrate to and interact with the surface could not be studied prior to the InSight landing. Here, we present an overview of the complete surface magnetic field data from InSight sols 14 to 1241 that display different external magnetic field phenomena, transient and periodic. Periodic observations range from short period waves (100-1000s of seconds), diurnal variations, similar to 26 sol Carrington rotations, to seasonal fluctuations. Transient events are observed in response to space weather and dust movement. We find that ionospheric variations are the dominant contribution as seen from the surface, while contributions from the undisturbed interplanetary magnetic field are more subtle. We discuss limitations associated with a single point measurement and opportunities that future missions could enable. Including magnetometers on future missions at a variety of locations for long-duration continuous observations will be of great value in understanding a range of external field phenomena and will enable further investigations in different crustal magnetic field settings.

Automated summary

The magnetometer of the InSight mission operated on the Martian surface from November 2018 until May 2022, providing new insights on the Martian magnetic field and its interaction with the surface. The study reveals that ionospheric variations are the main factor affecting the surface magnetic field, while the undisturbed interplanetary magnetic field has a minor contribution. Future missions with magnetometers at various locations for continuous observations will greatly contribute to understanding external magnetic field phenomena.