Journal article
Solar Wind Interaction With the Martian Upper Atmosphere: Roles of the Cold Thermosphere and Hot Oxygen Corona
Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.123(8), pp.6639-6654
08/2018
DOI: 10.1029/2018JA025543
Abstract
We study roles of the thermosphere and exosphere on the Martian ionospheric structure and ion escape rates in the process of the solar wind‐Mars interaction. We employ a four‐species multifluid magnetohydrodynamic model to simulate the Martian ionosphere and magnetosphere. The cold thermosphere background is taken from the Mars Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model, and the hot oxygen exosphere is adopted from the Mars exosphere Monte Carlo model—Adaptive Mesh Particle Simulator. A total of four cases with the combination of 1‐D (globally averaged) and 3‐D thermospheres and exospheres are studied. The ion escape rates calculated by adopting 1‐D and 3‐D atmospheres are similar; however, the latter are required to adequately reproduce the ionospheric observations by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission. In addition, our simulations show that the 3‐D hot oxygen corona plays an important role in preventing planetary molecular ions (O
2+ and CO
2+) escaping from Mars, mainly resulting from the mass loading of the high‐altitude exospheric O+ ions. The cold thermospheric oxygen atom, however, is demonstrated to be the primary neutral source for O+ ion escape during the relatively weak solar cycle 24.
Key Points
Despite the similar ion loss rate calculated from 1‐D and 3‐D atmospheres, the latter are required to adequately reproduce MAVEN observations
The hot oxygen corona plays an important role in protecting the Martian ionosphere/thermosphere from the solar wind erosion
The thermospheric oxygen atom is the primary neutral source for O+ ion escape during the relatively weak solar cycle 24
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Solar Wind Interaction With the Martian Upper Atmosphere: Roles of the Cold Thermosphere and Hot Oxygen Corona
- Creators
- Chuanfei Dong - Princeton UniversityStephen W Bougher - University of MichiganYingjuan Ma - Department of Earth and Space Sciences Los Angeles CA USAYuni Lee - Goddard Space Flight CenterGabor Toth - University of MichiganAndrew F Nagy - University of MichiganXiaohua Fang - University of Colorado BoulderJanet Luhmann - University of California, BerkeleyMichael W Liemohn - University of MichiganJasper S Halekas - University of IowaValeriy Tenishev - University of MichiganDavid J Pawlowski - Eastern Michigan UniversityMichael R Combi - University of Michigan
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.123(8), pp.6639-6654
- DOI
- 10.1029/2018JA025543
- ISSN
- 2169-9380
- eISSN
- 2169-9402
- Number of pages
- 16
- Grant note
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNH10CC04C; 80NSSC18K0288; NNX14AH19G; NNX16AQ04G)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/2018
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199690502771
Metrics
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