Response of Martian Tail Lobes to Heliospheric Current Sheet: Tianwen-1 and MAVEN Joint Observations

Martian magnetotail lobes, mainly formed by the draped interplanetary magnetic field extending downstream in the tailward direction, are largely controlled by the solar wind and respond sensitively to variations in upstream drivers. However, due to the limitations of single-spacecraft observations, the real-time observational evidence for the response of Martian far magnetotail lobes to the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) has not been reported so far. Here, using Tianwen-1 and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) data, we report for the first time the response of Martian far magnetotail lobes to the HCS. In our event, MAVEN monitored the HCS originating from the solar wind, and Tianwen-1 subsequently detected the reversal of the tail lobe orientation in the far magnetotail without signatures of magnetic reconnection. The results provide real-time observational evidence of the Martian far magnetotail lobe polarity reversal caused by the HCS, with a response time on the order of minutes.