Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter

The era of helicopter-based surveys on Mars has already begun, creating opportunities for future aerial science investigations with a range of instruments. We argue that magnetometer-based studies can make use of aerial technology to answer some of the key questions regarding early Mars evolution. A...

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Main Authors: Anna Mittelholz, Lindsey Heagy, Catherine L. Johnson, Jonathan Bapst, Jared Espley, Abigail A. Fraeman, Benoit Langlais, Robert Lillis, William Rapin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2023-01-01
Series:The Planetary Science Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace9c1
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author Anna Mittelholz
Lindsey Heagy
Catherine L. Johnson
Jonathan Bapst
Jared Espley
Abigail A. Fraeman
Benoit Langlais
Robert Lillis
William Rapin
author_facet Anna Mittelholz
Lindsey Heagy
Catherine L. Johnson
Jonathan Bapst
Jared Espley
Abigail A. Fraeman
Benoit Langlais
Robert Lillis
William Rapin
author_sort Anna Mittelholz
collection DOAJ
description The era of helicopter-based surveys on Mars has already begun, creating opportunities for future aerial science investigations with a range of instruments. We argue that magnetometer-based studies can make use of aerial technology to answer some of the key questions regarding early Mars evolution. As such, we discuss mission concepts for a helicopter equipped with a magnetometer on Mars, measurements it would provide, and survey designs that could be implemented. For a range of scenarios, we build magnetization models and test how well structures can be resolved using a range of different inversion approaches. With this work, we provide modeling ground work and recommendations to plan the future of aerial Mars exploration.
format Article
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issn 2632-3338
language English
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher IOP Publishing
record_format Article
series The Planetary Science Journal
spelling doaj-art-dede46046590432ebf9ca066645649c32025-08-20T02:40:35ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382023-01-014815510.3847/PSJ/ace9c1Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a HelicopterAnna Mittelholz0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5603-7334Lindsey Heagy1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1551-5926Catherine L. Johnson2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6084-0149Jonathan Bapst3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1176-7613Jared Espley4Abigail A. Fraeman5Benoit Langlais6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5207-304XRobert Lillis7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0578-517XWilliam Rapin8Harvard University , Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ; amittelholz@fas.harvard.eduDepartment of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of British Columbia , Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of British Columbia , Vancouver, BC, Canada; Planetary Science Institute , Tucson, AZ, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA, USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center , Greenbelt, MD, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, CA, USANantes Université , Univ. Angers, Le Mans Université, CNRS, LPG UMR F-6112, Nantes, FranceSpace Sciences Laboratory, University of California , Berkeley, CA, USAIRAP , CNRS, Toulouse, FranceThe era of helicopter-based surveys on Mars has already begun, creating opportunities for future aerial science investigations with a range of instruments. We argue that magnetometer-based studies can make use of aerial technology to answer some of the key questions regarding early Mars evolution. As such, we discuss mission concepts for a helicopter equipped with a magnetometer on Mars, measurements it would provide, and survey designs that could be implemented. For a range of scenarios, we build magnetization models and test how well structures can be resolved using a range of different inversion approaches. With this work, we provide modeling ground work and recommendations to plan the future of aerial Mars exploration.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace9c1MarsSolar system terrestrial planetsPlanetary magnetospheresPlanetary sciencePlanetary interiorPlanetary structure
spellingShingle Anna Mittelholz
Lindsey Heagy
Catherine L. Johnson
Jonathan Bapst
Jared Espley
Abigail A. Fraeman
Benoit Langlais
Robert Lillis
William Rapin
Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter
The Planetary Science Journal
Mars
Solar system terrestrial planets
Planetary magnetospheres
Planetary science
Planetary interior
Planetary structure
title Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter
title_full Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter
title_fullStr Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter
title_short Exploring Martian Magnetic Fields with a Helicopter
title_sort exploring martian magnetic fields with a helicopter
topic Mars
Solar system terrestrial planets
Planetary magnetospheres
Planetary science
Planetary interior
Planetary structure
url https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace9c1
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