Solar and Solar Wind Energy Drivers for O+ and O2+ Ion Escape at Mars

N. R. Schnepf; Y. Dong; D. Brain; K. G. Hanley; W. K. Peterson; R. J. Strangeway; E. M. B. Thiemann; J. S. Halekas; J. R. Espley; F. Eparvier; J. P. McFadden

doi:10.1029/2023JA032053

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Solar and Solar Wind Energy Drivers for O+ and O2+ Ion Escape at Mars

Journal article

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Solar and Solar Wind Energy Drivers for O+ and O2+ Ion Escape at Mars

N. R. Schnepf, Y. Dong, D. Brain, K. G. Hanley, W. K. Peterson, R. J. Strangeway, E. M. B. Thiemann, J. S. Halekas, J. R. Espley, F. Eparvier, …

Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.129(5), e2023JA032053

05/2024

DOI: 10.1029/2023JA032053

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Abstract

Mars once had a dense atmosphere enabling liquid water existing on its surface, however, much of that atmosphere has since escaped to space. We examine how incoming solar and solar wind energy fluxes drive escape of atomic and molecular oxygen ions (O+ and (Formula presented.)) at Mars. We use MAVEN data to evaluate ion escape from 1 February 2016 through 25 May 2022. We find that Martian O+ and (Formula presented.) both have increased escape flux with increased solar wind kinetic energy flux and this relationship is generally logarithmic. Increased solar wind electromagnetic energy flux also corresponds to increased O+ and (Formula presented.) escape flux, however, increased solar wind electromagnetic energy flux seems to first dampen ion escape until a threshold level is reached, at which point ion escape increases with increasing electromagnetic energy flux. Increased solar irradiance (both total and ionizing) does not obviously increase escape of O+ and (Formula presented.). Our results suggest that the solar wind electromagnetic energy flux should be considered along with the kinetic energy flux as an important driver of ion escape, and that other parameters should be considered when evaluating solar irradiance's impact on O+ and (Formula presented.) escape.

atmosphere loss

ion escape

Mars

Details

Title: Subtitle: Solar and Solar Wind Energy Drivers for O+ and O2+ Ion Escape at Mars
Creators: N. R. Schnepf - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Y. Dong - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
D. Brain - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
K. G. Hanley - University of California, Berkeley
W. K. Peterson - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
R. J. Strangeway - University of California, Los Angeles
E. M. B. Thiemann - University of Colorado Boulder
J. S. Halekas - University of Iowa
J. R. Espley - Goddard Space Flight Center
F. Eparvier - University of Colorado Boulder
J. P. McFadden - University of California, Berkeley
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of geophysical research. Space physics, Vol.129(5), e2023JA032053
DOI: 10.1029/2023JA032053
ISSN: 2169-9380
eISSN: 2169-9402
Number of pages: 16
Grant note: NASA's MAVEN mission (13004858)
Language: English
Date published: 05/2024
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984630596202771

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