MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere
Abstract Metallic ions deposited in planetary atmospheres via meteoroid ablation are an invaluable tool for understanding electric fields, atmospheric winds, and minor ion transport. At Mars, metallic ion distributions are poorly understood. We analyze MAVEN/NGIMS Fe+ distributions in the Martian io...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116255 |
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| author | A. R. Poppe G. A. Collinson M. Benna S. W. Stone J. M. C. Plane C. M. Fowler S. Xu |
| author_facet | A. R. Poppe G. A. Collinson M. Benna S. W. Stone J. M. C. Plane C. M. Fowler S. Xu |
| author_sort | A. R. Poppe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Metallic ions deposited in planetary atmospheres via meteoroid ablation are an invaluable tool for understanding electric fields, atmospheric winds, and minor ion transport. At Mars, metallic ion distributions are poorly understood. We analyze MAVEN/NGIMS Fe+ distributions in the Martian ionosphere over the period of 2015–2020 at altitudes ∼120–200 km. The Fe+ vertical structure observed during individual low‐altitude MAVEN Deep Dip campaigns is highly variable likely due to variations in the ion magnetization altitude and corresponding ion transport conditions. Deep Dip campaigns on or near the martian nightside show evidence for in situ production of Fe+ ions via electron precipitation. On average, Fe+ ions are globally distributed in the martian ionosphere at altitudes >120 km with only slight decreases on the martian nightside and in the southern hemisphere. We find a similar, albeit less intense, decrease in the Fe+ densities in the northern hemisphere near perihelion as has been reported for Mg+. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9ec4f165883841308deaee765ccc39f2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9ec4f165883841308deaee765ccc39f22025-08-20T03:08:48ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-07-015214n/an/a10.1029/2025GL116255MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian IonosphereA. R. Poppe0G. A. Collinson1M. Benna2S. W. Stone3J. M. C. Plane4C. M. Fowler5S. Xu6Space Sciences Laboratory University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USANASA Goddard Spaceflight Center Greenbelt MD USANASA Goddard Spaceflight Center Greenbelt MD USANASA Goddard Spaceflight Center Greenbelt MD USASchool of Chemistry University of Leeds Leeds UKDepartment of Physics and Astronomy West Virginia University Morgantown WV USASpace Sciences Laboratory University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USAAbstract Metallic ions deposited in planetary atmospheres via meteoroid ablation are an invaluable tool for understanding electric fields, atmospheric winds, and minor ion transport. At Mars, metallic ion distributions are poorly understood. We analyze MAVEN/NGIMS Fe+ distributions in the Martian ionosphere over the period of 2015–2020 at altitudes ∼120–200 km. The Fe+ vertical structure observed during individual low‐altitude MAVEN Deep Dip campaigns is highly variable likely due to variations in the ion magnetization altitude and corresponding ion transport conditions. Deep Dip campaigns on or near the martian nightside show evidence for in situ production of Fe+ ions via electron precipitation. On average, Fe+ ions are globally distributed in the martian ionosphere at altitudes >120 km with only slight decreases on the martian nightside and in the southern hemisphere. We find a similar, albeit less intense, decrease in the Fe+ densities in the northern hemisphere near perihelion as has been reported for Mg+.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116255Mars ionospheremeteoroid ablationmetallic ionsminor ion transport |
| spellingShingle | A. R. Poppe G. A. Collinson M. Benna S. W. Stone J. M. C. Plane C. M. Fowler S. Xu MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere Geophysical Research Letters Mars ionosphere meteoroid ablation metallic ions minor ion transport |
| title | MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere |
| title_full | MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere |
| title_fullStr | MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere |
| title_full_unstemmed | MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere |
| title_short | MAVEN Observations of Metallic Fe+ Distributions in the Martian Ionosphere |
| title_sort | maven observations of metallic fe distributions in the martian ionosphere |
| topic | Mars ionosphere meteoroid ablation metallic ions minor ion transport |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116255 |
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