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Prolonged Lifetime of the Transient Ionized Layer in the Martian Atmosphere Caused by Comet Siding Spring

Gurnett, D. A.; Halekas, J. S.; Morgan, D. D. +4 more

In October 2014, the close encounter between Mars and comet Siding Spring produced a transient ionized layer in the upper atmosphere composed primarily of Mg⁺ and Fe⁺ ions. The layer was detected by instruments on three spacecraft, including the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) on Mars Expre…