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Sinuous Aurora at Mars: A Link to the Tail Current Sheet?
Ramstad, Robin; Lillis, Robert J.; Deighan, Justin +18 more
We examine the newly discovered phenomena of sinuous aurora on the nightside of Mars, using images of 130.4 and 135.6 nm oxygen emission measured by the Emirates Mars Mission EMUS ultraviolet spectrograph, and upstream measurements from the MAVEN and Mars Express spacecraft. They are detected in ∼3% of observations, totaling 73 clear detections. T…
Seasonal Variation of the Martian Dayside Ionosphere
Zhai, Haohui; Ruan, Haibing
The Martian ionosphere has many similarities and differences compared to Earth, attracting significant attention. This paper utilizes radio occultation data from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN), and ESA Mars Express mission (MEX), associated with the measurements from Mars Advanced Radar for S…
Local Electron Density Depletions in the Martian Upper Ionosphere Obtained From MARSIS: Comparison With ASPERA-3, and MAVEN, and the Connection With Crustal Magnetic Fields
Frahm, R. A.; Duru, F.; Hughes, D. +3 more
Steep electron density depletions in the Martian ionosphere are important, especially because they could be regions of significant plasma escape. Local electron density profiles of the Martian ionosphere obtained from the radar sounder onboard the Mars Express spacecraft often show large fluctuations. In some cases, these fluctuations are observed…
The Drivers of the Martian Bow Shock Location: A Statistical Analysis of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN and Mars Express Observations
Garnier, P.; Génot, V.; Halekas, J. S. +6 more
The Martian interaction with the solar wind leads to the formation of a bow shock upstream of the planet. The shock dynamics appear complex, due to the combined influence of external and internal drivers. The extreme ultraviolet fluxes and magnetosonic Mach number are known major drivers of the shock location, while the influence of other possible…
The Impact of Energetic Particles on the Martian Ionosphere During a Full Solar Cycle of Radar Observations: Radar Blackouts
Witasse, Olivier; Orosei, Roberto; Lester, Mark +13 more
We present the first long-term characterization of ionization layers in the lower ionosphere of Mars (below ∼90 km), a region inaccessible to orbital in-situ observations, based on an analysis of radar echo blackouts observed on Mars Express and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter from 2006 to 2017. A blackout occurs when the expected surface reflecti…
The Influence of Crustal Magnetic Fields on the Martian Bow Shock Location: A Statistical Analysis of MAVEN and Mars Express Observations
Garnier, P.; Génot, V.; Halekas, J. S. +6 more
Previous missions underlined the complex influence of the crustal magnetic fields on the Martian environment, including the plasma boundaries. Their influence on the bow shock is however poorly constrained, with most studies showing North/South differences attributed to the crustal fields, with various conclusions from little to strong variabiliti…
Discrete Aurora on the Nightside of Mars: Occurrence Location and Probability
Luhmann, Janet; Fang, Xiaohua; Jakosky, Bruce +7 more
This paper represents the first attempt to predict the occurrence location and probability of discrete electron aurora on the nightside of Mars. We run a 3-D time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic model to characterize the spatial and temporal dynamics of magnetic field and plasma distributions over the course of one planetary rotation. We perform eig…
Nightside Auroral Electrons at Mars: Upstream Drivers and Ionospheric Impact
Liemohn, Michael W.; Mazelle, Christian; Xu, Shaosui +12 more
Discrete aurorae have been observed at Mars by multiple spacecraft, including Mars Express, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN), and most recently the United Arab Emirates Hope spacecraft. Meanwhile, there have been studies on the source particles responsible for producing these detectable aurorae (termed "auroral electrons"). By utiliz…
A Two-Spacecraft Study of Mars' Induced Magnetosphere's Response to Upstream Conditions
Edberg, Niklas J. T.; Dimmock, Andrew P.; Sánchez-Cano, Beatriz +5 more
This is a two-spacecraft study, in which we investigate the effects of the upstream solar wind conditions on the Martian induced magnetosphere and upper ionosphere. We use Mars Express (MEX) magnetic field magnitude data together with interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), solar wind density, and velocity measurements from the Mars Atmosphere and Vo…
Interaction of Space Weather Phenomena with Mars Plasma Environment During Solar Minimum 23/24
Fedorov, A.; Nilsson, H.; Sánchez-Cano, B. +5 more
We study the interaction of three solar wind (SW) structures, two stream interaction regions, and one interplanetary coronal mass ejection, with Mars' plasma environment during November 20-27, 2007. This period corresponds to the solar minimum between the solar cycles 23 and 24 which was characterized by very low values of the SW density and dynam…