Advancing Mars space weather forecasting: multi-point validation during a major solar storm
Data files
Dec 30, 2025 version files 24.72 GB
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Fig1_2_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.sat
4.58 MB
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Fig1_2_sat_TW20240517_18_n000000.sat
4.58 MB
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Fig3a_3d__ful_6_t00020000_n1370706r.dat.gz
200.26 MB
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Fig3b_3d__ful_6_t00030600_n2171638r.dat.gz
210.22 MB
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Fig4_5_sat_MVN2021_12_02_12_03_sat_n000000.sat
3.43 MB
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Fig4_5_sat_TW2021_12_02_n000000.sat
3.43 MB
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FigS2_sw_all_20240517_21_00_dt10n17MVTW2s.dat
127.37 KB
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FigS3_case1_dr10_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.dat
54.95 MB
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FigS3_case2_dr5_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.dat
54.95 MB
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FigS3_case3_dr2p5_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.dat
54.95 MB
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FigS4_sw_all_20211202_00_08_dt10MVTWs.dat
336.90 KB
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MovieS1.tgz
24.13 GB
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README.md
5.15 KB
Abstract
As Mars becomes a key target for sustained robotic and future human missions, reliable space weather forecasting is increasingly critical. This study presents the first practical, validated predictive plasma modeling at Mars, using simultaneous multi-point observations during both an extreme solar storm and a relatively quiet period. The physics based global model accurately reproduces the key plasma and magnetic features of the near-Mars environment, from the magnetosheath to the ionosphere, with unprecedented agreement to MAVEN and Tianwen-1 magnetometer data (normalized root mean square error <15%). It also captures the dynamic Martian current system, shaped by the interplanetary magnetic field and the rotating crustal fields, which particularly affects the tail current configuration. This work marks a crucial step toward practical space weather forecasting at Mars.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bnzs7h4q8
Description of the data and file structure
File: Fig1_2_sat_TW20240517_18_n000000.sat
Description: ascii file for MHD model results along Tianwen-1 orbit for Event1.
VARIABLES="it" "Year" "mn" "day" "hour" "min" "Sec" "ms" "X [R]" "Y [R]" "Z [R]" "r [amu/cm^3]" "rHp [amu/cm^3]" "r^O^2^p [amu/cm^3]" "rOp [amu/cm^3]" "r^C^O^2^p [amu/cm^3]" "U_x [km/s]" "U_y [km/s]" "U_z [km/s]""B_x [nT]" "B_y [nT]" "B_z [nT]" "p [nPa]" "B1_x [nT]" "B1_y [nT]" "B1_z [nT]" "e" "J_x [mA/m^2]" "J_y [mA/m^2]" "J_z [mA/m^2]"
Of these variables:
- it — iteration number
- Year, mn, day, hour, min, Sec, ms — date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second, millisecond)
- X [R], Y [R], Z [R] — position in the MSO coordinate system
- r [amu/cm³] — total mass density
- "
r^H^p [amu/cm^3]" "rO2p [amu/cm^3]" "r^O^p [amu/cm^3]" "rCO2^p [amu/cm^3]": density of H⁺, O2+, O+ and CO2+ - U_x [km/s], U_y [km/s], U_z [km/s] — plasma velocity components
- B_x [nT], B_y [nT], B_z [nT] — total magnetic field components
- p [nPa] —plasma thermal pressure
- B1_x [nT], B1_y [nT], B1_z [nT] — induced magnetic field components
- E [J/m³] — electric field
- J_x [uA/m²], J_y [uA/m²], J_z [uA/m²] — current density components in the MSO coordinate system
File: Fig1_2_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.sat
Description: ascii file for MHD model results along MAVEN orbit for Event1. File format is the same as Fig1_2_sat_TW20240517_18_n000000.sat
Files:
Fig3a_3d__ful_6_t00020000_n1370706r.dat.gz
Fig3b_3d__ful_6_t00030600_n2171638r.dat.gz
Description: 3D output from the MHD model in ascii format at time 22:00 and 23:06.
The outputs are stored in ascii format, and each file contains the following plasma variables in order:
"X [R]" "Y [R]" "Z [R]" “H+” "U_x [km/s]" "U_y [km/s]" "U_z [km/s]" "B_x [nT]" "B_y [nT]" "B_z [nT]" "B1_x [nT]" "B1_y [nT]" "B1_z [nT]" "J_x [uA/m^2^]" "J_y [uA/m^2^]" "J_z [uA/m^2^]"
Of those variables, X, Y, Z: location in MSO coordinate; U_x, U_y, U_z: plasma velocity vector, B_x, B_y, B_z: total magnetic field vector, B1_x, B1_y, B1_z: induced magnetic field, and J_x, J_y, J_z: current density vector in MSO. The crustal magnetic field is given by the vector subtraction of the induced field from the total field.
File: Fig4_5_sat_TW2021_12_02_n000000.sat
Description: ascii file for MHD model results along Tianwen-1 orbit for Event2. File format is the same as Fig1_2_sat_TW20240517_18_n000000.sat
File: Fig4_5_sat_MVN2021_12_02_12_03_sat_n000000.sat
Description: ascii file for MHD model results along MAVEN orbit for Event2. File format is the same as Fig1_2_sat_TW20240517_18_n000000.sat
Files:
FigS3_FigS3_case1_dr10_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.dat
FigS3_FigS3_case2_dr5_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.dat
FigS3_FigS3_case3_dr2p5_sat_MVN2024_05_17_19_sat_n000000.dat
Description: ascii file for MHD model results along MAVEN orbit for Event1 for three different steady-state cases with different grid resolutions. File format is the same as Fig1_2_sat_TWsat_20240517_18_n000000.sat
File: FigS2_sw_all_20240517_21_00_dt10n17MVTW2s.dat
Description: Solar wind input parameters used for MHD model for event
VARIABLES="Year" "mn" "day" "hour" "min" "Sec" "ms" “bx” “by” “bz” “ux” “uy” “uz” "hp" "T"
Of these variables:
- Year, mn, day, hour, min, Sec, ms — date and time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second, millisecond)
- bx, by, bz — magnetic field components in MSO [nT]
- hp, T — density and temperature of protons (H⁺ ions) [amu/cm³]
- ux, uy, uz —solar wind flow speed in MSO [km/s]
File: FigS4_sw_all_20211202_00_08_dt10MVTWs.dat
Description: Solar wind input parameters used for MHD model for event 2. File format is the same as FigS2_sw_all_20240517_21_00_dt10n17MVTW2s.dat
File: MovieS1.tgz
Description: 3D MHD model outputs from 22:00 - 23:59 on 2024-05-17 with files saved at one-minute intervals.
Each file name encodes the time information in the format:
t000hhmm00_nxxxxxxxr.dat
Where hhmm are simulation time. The start of the simulation is at 20 UT.
The outputs are stored in ascii format, and each file contains the following plasma variables in order:
"X [R]" "Y [R]" "Z [R]" “H+” "U_x [km/s]" "U_y [km/s]" "U_z [km/s]" "B_x [nT]" "B_y [nT]" "B_z [nT]" "B1_x [nT]" "B1_y [nT]" "B1_z [nT]" "J_x [uA/m^2^]" "J_y [uA/m^2^]" "J_z [uA/m^2^]"
Of those variables, X, Y, Z: location in MSO coordinate; U_x, U_y, U_z: plasma velocity vector, B_x, B_y, B_z: total magnetic field vector, B1_x, B1_y, B1_z: induced magnetic field, and J_x, J_y, J_z: current density vector in MSO. The crustal magnetic field is given by the vector subtraction of the induced field from the total field.