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Effects of ion composition on escape and morphology on Mars

Zhang, Qi; Holmström, Mats; Wang, Xiao-Dong

We refine a recently presented method to estimate ion escape from non-magnetized planets and apply it to Mars. The method combines in situ observations and a hybrid plasma model (ions as particles, electrons as a fluid). We use measurements from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission and Mars Express (MEX) for one orbit on 1 Ma…