Effect of Incoming Solar Particle Radiations on The Exosphere of Mars

Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer (MENCA) of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) measures the \emph{in-situ} neutral upper atmospheric constituents of Mars. Martian lower atmosphere predominated by the presence of \(CO_2\) which photo-dissociates into atomic oxygen (\(O\)) in higher altitudes much...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Nagaraja, Kamsali, Basuvaraj, Praveen Kumar, Chakravarty, S C, Kuttanpillai, Praveen Kumar
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 01.02.2022
Subjects
Atomic oxygen
Carbon monoxide
Charged particles
Composition
Exosphere
Fluxes
Lower atmosphere
Mars
Mars atmosphere
Mars missions
Mars orbiters
Neutral gases
Planetary ionospheres
Solar activity
Solar maximum
Solar wind
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Summary:Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer (MENCA) of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) measures the \emph{in-situ} neutral upper atmospheric constituents of Mars. Martian lower atmosphere predominated by the presence of \(CO_2\) which photo-dissociates into atomic oxygen (\(O\)) in higher altitudes much near the exobase. Atomic \(O\) plays a significant role in invoking the stronger presence of \(O_2^+\) in the Martian ionosphere. Primary photo-dissociative species \(CO_{2}\), crossover their neutral abundance with atomic \(O\) in the collisionless heterogenous atmosphere with varying local solar conditions. Initial measurements from Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) instrument on Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) estimated these crossover/transition altitudes wavering between \(\approx\)225 km to 240 km during solar maximum conditions with peak solar illuminations. MENCA sampled the neutral atmospheric species, below the exobase up to the periareion of \(\approx\)160 km, under low solar activity conditions during June 2018. Observations of partial pressures of \(CO_2\) and \(O\) in subsequent orbits reveals that solar inputs are crucial in quantifying these crossing points, where \([O]/[CO_2]\) remain unity, alongside the influences from temperature. The multi-spacecraft measurements of the direct influences of solar wind charged particle fluxes and velocity on the daily variation of neutral thermospheric/exospheric compositions were observed on the local evening hours of Mars and presented. It marks the first-ever direct \emph{in-situ} observation of interaction between the energetic solar particle radiations on Martian exospheric compositions, potentially contributing to the steady escape and differing population of atomic \([O]\) in the exosphere.
ISSN:2331-8422