Abstract In the induced magnetosphere of Venus, electric currents couple the ionosphere and magnetosphere, providing valuable insights into how the solar wind and neutral wind drive upper atmospheric dynamics, ion escape, and long‐term atmospheric evolution. Despite their importance, the three‐dimensional structure of these current systems on Venus remains poorly understood. In this study, we perform a statistical analysis of the steady‐state magnetic fields and currents in the Venusian induced magnetosphere using Venus Express observations, and compare them with corresponding results at Mars. We identify magnetopause, magnetotail, and sunward/tailward current systems in the Venusian magnetosphere, though the tailward current is notably weaker and occurs farther from the planet than at Mars. Most notably, we suggest that ionospheric currents on Venus are driven by both the solar wind and atmospheric neutral winds. These findings highlight that for unmagnetized planets such as Venus and Mars, variations in atmospheric and plasma environments play a key role in shaping global current systems within their induced magnetospheres.
Gao et al. (2026) studied this question.