Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Thiemann, E. M. B.
• Eparvier, F. G.
• Andersson, L. A.
• Fowler, C. M.
• Peterson, W. K.
• Mahaffy, P. R.
• England, S. L.
• Larson, D. E.
• Lo, D. Y.
• Schneider, N. M.
• Deighan, J. I.
• McClintock, W. E.
• Jakosky, B. M.

Titel

Neutral density response to solar flares at Mars

Ist Teil von

• Geophysical research letters, 2015-11, Vol.42 (21), p.8986-8992

Ort / Verlag

Washington: Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2015

Quelle

Wiley-Blackwell Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• First direct observations of heating of the Mars neutral atmosphere by solar flares are presented in this study. Solar flares were detected using the Extreme Ultraviolet Monitor on board the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, and upper atmospheric temperature enhancements were determined by changes in the density scale height of Argon (Ar) made by the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer also on board MAVEN. We analyzed 14 M‐class or greater flares that occurred during the early part of the MAVEN mission in addition to a 30 day period of high flare activity during May 2015. We report that the Mars dayside upper atmosphere shows significant heating near the flare soft X‐ray peak; and it responds and recovers rapidly to heating from M‐class or larger flares. In addition, we present atmospheric density versus altitude profiles that were taken near the soft X‐ray peak of two flares. Key Points First observations of neutral heating at Mars due to solar flares are reported The upper atmosphere shows significant heating near the flare soft X‐ray peak The Mars atmosphere responds and recovers rapidly to heating from M‐class flares