The magnetic field of Mars: Mars 3 evidence reexamined

Published reports permit the reconstruction of the Mars 3 trajectory on which the discovery of the Martian magnetic field by Dolginov and co‐workers is based. Use of this trajectory to transform the original measurements and display them in geophysically oriented coordinate systems leads to the conclusion that the observed magnetic field was draped over the Martian obstacle as expected if the field were simply shocked and compressed solar wind magnetic field. There is no conclusive evidence that Mars 3 ever entered a Martian magnetosphere.