MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event

Abstract We present topside ionospheric sounding on the nightside of Mars during the September 2017 solar event by Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) on board Mars Express along with complementary dayside observations from Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVE...

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Main Authors: Y. Harada, D. A. Gurnett, A. J. Kopf, J. S. Halekas, S. Ruhunusiri, G. A. DiBraccio, J. Espley, D. A. Brain
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL077622
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author Y. Harada
D. A. Gurnett
A. J. Kopf
J. S. Halekas
S. Ruhunusiri
G. A. DiBraccio
J. Espley
D. A. Brain
author_facet Y. Harada
D. A. Gurnett
A. J. Kopf
J. S. Halekas
S. Ruhunusiri
G. A. DiBraccio
J. Espley
D. A. Brain
author_sort Y. Harada
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We present topside ionospheric sounding on the nightside of Mars during the September 2017 solar event by Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) on board Mars Express along with complementary dayside observations from Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN). The MARSIS and MAVEN observations during the event suggest that (i) the nightside bottomside ionosphere was significantly enhanced by solar energetic particles, (ii) the nightside peak electron density was increased to unusually high values of ∼1–2 ×104 cm−3 around 120 km altitudes owing to enhanced electron impact ionization, and (iii) the ionospheric magnetic field was globally amplified by the high dynamic pressure during the interplanetary coronal mass ejection passage. These multipoint measurements help elucidate the global response of the Martian upper ionosphere to the solar event.
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spelling doaj-art-2e9ff79f5db846c6a93df13198a62eee2025-08-20T02:57:52ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-08-0145167960796710.1002/2018GL077622MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar EventY. Harada0D. A. Gurnett1A. J. Kopf2J. S. Halekas3S. Ruhunusiri4G. A. DiBraccio5J. Espley6D. A. Brain7Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USADepartment of Physics and Astronomy University of Iowa Iowa City IA USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USADepartment of Geophysics Kyoto University Kyoto JapanLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USAAbstract We present topside ionospheric sounding on the nightside of Mars during the September 2017 solar event by Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) on board Mars Express along with complementary dayside observations from Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN). The MARSIS and MAVEN observations during the event suggest that (i) the nightside bottomside ionosphere was significantly enhanced by solar energetic particles, (ii) the nightside peak electron density was increased to unusually high values of ∼1–2 ×104 cm−3 around 120 km altitudes owing to enhanced electron impact ionization, and (iii) the ionospheric magnetic field was globally amplified by the high dynamic pressure during the interplanetary coronal mass ejection passage. These multipoint measurements help elucidate the global response of the Martian upper ionosphere to the solar event.https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL077622MarsionosphereSeptember 2017 solar event
spellingShingle Y. Harada
D. A. Gurnett
A. J. Kopf
J. S. Halekas
S. Ruhunusiri
G. A. DiBraccio
J. Espley
D. A. Brain
MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event
Geophysical Research Letters
Mars
ionosphere
September 2017 solar event
title MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event
title_full MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event
title_fullStr MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event
title_full_unstemmed MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event
title_short MARSIS Observations of the Martian Nightside Ionosphere During the September 2017 Solar Event
title_sort marsis observations of the martian nightside ionosphere during the september 2017 solar event
topic Mars
ionosphere
September 2017 solar event
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL077622
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AT jshalekas marsisobservationsofthemartiannightsideionosphereduringtheseptember2017solarevent
AT sruhunusiri marsisobservationsofthemartiannightsideionosphereduringtheseptember2017solarevent
AT gadibraccio marsisobservationsofthemartiannightsideionosphereduringtheseptember2017solarevent
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