MAVEN observations of solar wind hydrogen deposition in the atmosphere of Mars

J. S. Halekas; R. J. Lillis; D. L. Mitchell; T. E. Cravens; C. Mazelle; J. E. P. Connerney; J. R. Espley; P. R. Mahaffy; M. Benna; B. M. Jakosky; J. G. Luhmann; J. P. McFadden; D. E. Larson; Y. Harada; S. Ruhunusiri

doi:10.1002/2015GL064693

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MAVEN observations of solar wind hydrogen deposition in the atmosphere of Mars

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MAVEN observations of solar wind hydrogen deposition in the atmosphere of Mars

J. S. Halekas, R. J. Lillis, D. L. Mitchell, T. E. Cravens, C. Mazelle, J. E. P. Connerney, J. R. Espley, P. R. Mahaffy, M. Benna, B. M. Jakosky, …

Geophysical research letters, Vol.42(21), pp.8901-8909

11/16/2015

DOI: 10.1002/2015GL064693

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Abstract

Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission (MAVEN) observes a tenuous but ubiquitous flux of protons with the same energy as the solar wind in the Martian atmosphere. During high flux intervals, we observe a corresponding negative hydrogen population. The correlation between penetrating and solar wind fluxes, the constant energy, and the lack of a corresponding charged population at intermediate altitudes implicate products of hydrogen energetic neutral atoms from charge exchange between the upstream solar wind and the exosphere. These atoms, previously observed in neutral form, penetrate the magnetosphere unaffected by electromagnetic fields (retaining the solar wind velocity), and some fraction reconvert to charged form through collisions with the atmosphere. MAVEN characterizes the energy and angular distributions of both penetrating and backscattered particles, potentially providing information about the solar wind, the hydrogen corona, and collisional interactions in the atmosphere. The accretion of solar wind hydrogen may provide an important source term to the Martian atmosphere over the planet's history.

Geology

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Physical Sciences

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: MAVEN observations of solar wind hydrogen deposition in the atmosphere of Mars
Creators: J. S. Halekas - University of Iowa
R. J. Lillis - University of California, Berkeley
D. L. Mitchell - Univ Calif Berkeley, Space Sci Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
T. E. Cravens - University of Kansas
C. Mazelle - Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie
J. E. P. Connerney - Goddard Space Flight Center
J. R. Espley - Goddard Space Flight Center
P. R. Mahaffy - Goddard Space Flight Center
M. Benna - Goddard Space Flight Center
B. M. Jakosky - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
J. G. Luhmann - University of California, Berkeley
J. P. McFadden - University of California, Berkeley
D. E. Larson - University of California, Berkeley
Y. Harada - University of California, Berkeley
S. Ruhunusiri - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Geophysical research letters, Vol.42(21), pp.8901-8909
DOI: 10.1002/2015GL064693
ISSN: 0094-8276
eISSN: 1944-8007
Publisher: Amer Geophysical Union
Number of pages: 9
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/501100002830, name: Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
Language: English
Date published: 11/16/2015
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984428821102771

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