The effect of atmospheric dust on the Mars dayside ionosphere derived from 17 years of Mars Express Radio Science observations

The daytime martian ionosphere has been observed as a two-layer structure with electron densities that peak at altitudes between about 110 and 130 kilometers. The Mars Express Orbiter Radio Science Experiment on the European Mars Express spacecraft observed, in 10 out of 120 electron density profiles, a third ionospheric layer at altitude ranges of 65 to 110 kilometers, where electron densities, on average, peaked at 0.8 × 1010 per cubic meter. Such a layer has been predicted to be permanent and continuous. Its origin has been attributed to ablation of meteors and charge exchange of magnesium and iron. Our observations imply that this layer is present sporadically and locally.

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The Challenges and Opportunities for International Cooperative Radio Science; Experience with Mars Express and Venus Express Missions

SpaceOps 2008 Conference ◽

10.2514/6.2008-3556 ◽

2008 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Dwight Holmes ◽

Thomas Thompson ◽

Richard Simpson ◽

G. Tyler ◽

Veronque Dehant ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Venus Express ◽

Science Experience

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Retrieval of ionospheric profiles from the Mars Express MARSIS experiment data and comparison with radio-occultation data

Geoscientific Instrumentation Methods and Data Systems Discussions ◽

10.5194/gid-2-87-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 87-106

Author(s):

B. Sánchez-Cano ◽

O. Witasse ◽

M. Herraiz ◽

S. M. Radicella ◽

J. Bauer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radio Occultation ◽

European Space Agency ◽

Planetary Science ◽

Data Set ◽

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science ◽

Space Agency ◽

Martian Ionosphere ◽

Occultation Data ◽

Ionospheric Sounding

Abstract. Since 2005 the Mars Advanced Radar and Ionospheric Sounding experiment (MARSIS) aboard Mars Express has acquired a unique data set on the ionosphere of Mars made up of ionospheric soundings taken by the instrument working in its Active Ionospheric Sounding (AIS) mode. These soundings play a role similar to those of modern Terrestrial digisondes in the analysis of our planet ionosphere and have allowed us to dramatically improve our knowledge about the Martian ionosphere. This paper describes this kind of data, which are available from the public Planetary Science Archive, and introduces the MAISDAT tool developed by the European Space Agency to analyze and derive the vertical profile of electron density. Comparisons with radio-occultation profiles obtained from Mars Express Radio Science instrument are performed to validate the procedure used in this study.

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The structure of Mars lower atmosphere from Mars Express Radio Science (MaRS) occultation measurements

Journal of Geophysical Research Planets ◽

10.1002/jgre.20058 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 118 (2) ◽

pp. 306-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Silvia Tellmann ◽

Martin Pätzold ◽

Bernd Häusler ◽

D. P. Hinson ◽

G. Leonard Tyler

Keyword(s):

Lower Atmosphere ◽

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science

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Retrieval of ionospheric profiles from the Mars Express MARSIS experiment data and comparison with radio occultation data

Geoscientific Instrumentation Methods and Data Systems ◽

10.5194/gi-1-77-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 77-84 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

B. Sánchez-Cano ◽

O. Witasse ◽

M. Herraiz ◽

S. M. Radicella ◽

J. Bauer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radio Occultation ◽

European Space Agency ◽

Planetary Science ◽

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science ◽

The Public ◽

Space Agency ◽

Martian Ionosphere ◽

Occultation Data ◽

Ionospheric Sounding

Abstract. Since 2005 the Mars Advanced Radar and Ionospheric Sounding experiment (MARSIS) aboard Mars Express has acquired a unique dataset on the ionosphere of Mars made up of ionospheric soundings taken by the instrument working in its active ionospheric sounding (AIS) mode. These soundings play a role similar to those of modern Terrestrial digisondes in the analysis of our planet ionosphere and have allowed us to dramatically improve our knowledge about the Martian ionosphere. This paper describes this kind of data, which are available from the public Planetary Science Archive, and introduces the MAISDAT tool developed by the European Space Agency to analyze and derive the vertical profile of electron density. Comparisons with radio occultation profiles obtained from Mars Express Radio Science instrument are performed to validate the procedure used in this study.

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The lower dayside ionosphere of Mars in light of MEX MaRS radio science observations

10.5194/epsc2020-528 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kerstin Peter ◽

Martin Pätzold ◽

Gregorio Molina-Cuberos ◽

Francisco González-Galindo ◽

Olivier Witasse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Electron Density ◽

Impact Ionization ◽

Extreme Ultraviolet ◽

Main Peak ◽

X Rays ◽

Mars Atmosphere ◽

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science ◽

The Individual

&#160;&#160;&#160;<img src="https://contentmanager.copernicus.org/fileStorageProxy.php?f=gepj.a4004f2be2fe53228792951/sdaolpUECMynit/0202CSPE&app=m&a=0&c=0c4e6952561399e83d88c4d43fe544f2&ct=x&pn=gepj.elif" alt=""> &#160;&#160; &#160;&#160;<img src="https://contentmanager.copernicus.org/fileStorageProxy.php?f=gepj.7660ec3be2fe56328792951/sdaolpUECMynit/0202CSPE&app=m&a=0&c=0b6ac6aff35b94d80887605627a854c0&ct=x&pn=gepj.elif" alt="">Figure 1: MEX-MaRS X-band observations of the dayside ionosphere of Mars for (a) Day of Year (DoY) 343 (2005) and (b) DoY 215 (2014).&#160; Combined X- and S-band (differential Doppler) observations for (c) DoY 011 (2014) and (d) DoY 006 (2006). The gray dashed line indicates the noise level, while the black dashed line marks the lowest valid altitude of the individual observation (details about the parameter derivation in [2]).The Mars Express Radio Science experiment (MaRS) on board the Mars Express spacecraft has observed the Mars atmosphere and ionosphere since 2004. More than 900 high-resolution MaRS height profiles of the ionospheric electron density from the topside down to the ionospheric base are available.The two dominant features of the undisturbed Martian dayside ionosphere are the main peak (M2), caused mainly by solar radiation in the Extreme Ultraviolet, and the secondary layer (M1), mostly formed by primary and secondary impact ionization of short solar X-rays < 10 nm [1]. The region below the M1 peak is highly variable and regularly contains merged excess electron density regions (Mm) in various shapes [2] (Figures 1).More than 15 years of MaRS radio science observations are used to study the behavior of the lowest region of the Martian dayside ionosphere. Categories for the identified Mm shapes are defined and statistics of the individual Mm shape occurrences are provided. The 1-D photochemical model IonA-2 (Ionization in Atmospheres 2 [2]) is applied to investigate which of the identified Mm shapes can be reproduced by solar radiation of the quiet Sun and under solar M- and X-flare conditions.&#160;References&#160; [1]&#160;Fox J. L. et al. (1996), Adv. Space Res., 17, 11, 203-218.&#160; [2] Peter K. (2018), PhD Dissertation, https://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/8110/.

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MoMo: a new empirical model of the Mars ionospheric total electron content based on Mars Express MARSIS data

Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate ◽

10.1051/swsc/2019035 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. A36 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nicolas Bergeot ◽

Olivier Witasse ◽

Sébastien Le Maistre ◽

Pierre-Louis Blelly ◽

Wlodek Kofman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Total Electron Content ◽

Empirical Model ◽

Density Variation ◽

Electron Content ◽

Martian Surface ◽

Total Electron ◽

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science ◽

Ionosphere Model ◽

The Impact

Aims: Several scientific landers and rovers have reached the Martian surface since the 1970s. Communication between the asset (i.e., lander or rover) and Mars orbiters or Earth antennas uses radio signals in UHF to X-band frequencies passing through the Mars’ ionosphere. It is consequently necessary to take into account electron density variation in the Mars’ ionosphere to correct the refraction of the signal transmitted. Methods: We developed a new empirical model of the Mars’ ionosphere called MoMo. It is based on the large database of Total Electron Content (TEC) derived from the subsurface mode of the Mars Express MARSIS radar. The model provides vertical TEC as a function of solar zenith angle, solar activity, solar longitude and location. For validation, the model is compared with Mars Express radio occultation data as well as with the numerical model IPIM (IRAP Plasmasphere-Ionosphere Model). Results: We discussed the output of the model in terms of climatology behaviour of the Mars’ ionosphere. The output of MoMo is then uses to quantify the impact of the Martian ionosphere for radio-science experiments. From our results, the effect is of the order of 10−3 mm s−1 in Doppler observables especially around sunrise and sunset. Consequently, this new model could be used to support the data analysis of any radio-science experiment and especially for present InSight RISE and futur ExoMars LARA instruments aiming at better understand the deep-interior of Mars.

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