| 1. |
- Blomberg, Lars G., et al.
(författare)
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The martian plasma environment : Electric field and Langmuir probe diagnostics
- 2003
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Ingår i: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 0093-3813 .- 1939-9375. ; 31:6, s. 1232-1236
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The plasma environment of Mars has been studied by a small handful of spacecraft. From the sparse observations that exist, one may conclude that the solar wind-Martian magnetosphere interaction is different in significant ways from the solar wind's interaction with Earth's magnetosphere. Mars offers an opportunity to make significant advances in our understanding of the fundamentals of the solar wind's interaction with cold celestial bodies, with suitable plasma instrumentation orbiting the planet. We briefly review what is known about Mars' plasma environment and address some scientific topics that can be studied by proper plasma instrumentation in Mars' vicinity, in particular the scientific potential of Langmuir probe measurements. Finally, we exemplify how the studies may contribute to an enhanced understanding not only of the plasma surrounding Mars, but also of the planet itself and its neutral atmosphere.
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| 2. |
- Ma, Yingjuan, et al.
(författare)
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Reconnection in the Martian Magnetotail : Hall-MHD With Embedded Particle-in-Cell Simulations
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - : AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 123:5, s. 3742-3763
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission observations show clear evidence of the occurrence of the magnetic reconnection process in the Martian plasma tail. In this study, we use sophisticated numerical models to help us understand the effects of magnetic reconnection in the plasma tail. The numerical models used in this study are (a) a multispecies global Hall-magnetohydrodynamic (HMHD) model and (b) a global HMHD model two-way coupled to an embedded fully kinetic particle-in-cell code. Comparison with MAVEN observations clearly shows that the general interaction pattern is well reproduced by the global HMHD model. The coupled model takes advantage of both the efficiency of the MHD model and the ability to incorporate kinetic processes of the particle-in-cell model, making it feasible to conduct kinetic simulations for Mars under realistic solar wind conditions for the first time. Results from the coupled model show that the Martian magnetotail is highly dynamic due to magnetic reconnection, and the resulting Mars-ward plasma flow velocities are significantly higher for the lighter ion fluid, which are quantitatively consistent with MAVEN observations. The HMHD with Embedded Particle-in-Cell model predicts that the ion loss rates are more variable but with similar mean values as compared with HMHD model results.
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| 3. |
- Weis, Franz, et al.
(författare)
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Water content in the Martian mantle : A Nakhla perspective
- 2017
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Ingår i: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-7037 .- 1872-9533. ; 212, s. 84-98
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Water contents of the Martian mantle have previously been investigated using Martian meteorites, with several comprehensive studies estimating the water content in the parental melts and mantle source regions of the shergottites and Chassigny. However, no detailed studies have been performed on the Nakhla meteorite. One possible way to determine the water content of a crystallizing melt is to use the water content in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs) such as clinopyroxene and olivine. During or after eruption on the surface of a planetary body and during residence in a degassing magma, these minerals may dehydrate. By reversing this process experimentally, original (pre-dehydration) water concentrations can be quantified. In this study, hydrothermal rehydration experiments were performed at 2 kbar and 700 degrees C on potentially dehydrated Nakhla clinopyroxene crystals. Rehydrated clinopyroxene crystals exhibit water contents of 130 +/- 26 (2 sigma) ppm and are thus similar to values observed in similar phenocrysts from terrestrial basalts. Utilizing clinopyroxene/melt partition coefficients, both the water content of the Nakhla parent melt and mantle source region were estimated. Despite previous assumptions of a relatively dry melt, the basaltic magma crystallizing Nakhla may have had up to 1.42 +/- 0.28 (2 sigma) wt.% H2O. Based on an assumed low degree of partial melting, this estimate can be used to calculate a minimum estimate of the water content for Nakhlas mantle source region of 72 +/- 16 ppm. Combining this value with values determined for other SNC mantle sources, by alternative methods, gives an average mantle value of 102 +/- 9 (2 sigma) ppm H2O for the Martian upper mantle throughout geologic time. This value is lower than the bulk water content of Earths upper mantle (similar to 250 ppm H2O) but similar to Earths MORB source (54330 ppm, average similar to 130 ppm H2O).
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| 4. |
- Bellucci, Jeremy, et al.
(författare)
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Pb evolution in the Martian mantle
- 2018
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Ingår i: Earth and Planetary Science Letters. - : Elsevier. - 0012-821X .- 1385-013X. ; 485, s. 79-87
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The initial Pb compositions of one enriched shergottite, one intermediate shergottite, two depleted shergottites, and Nakhla have been measured by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). These values, in addition to data from previous studies using an identical analytical method performed on three enriched shergottites, ALH 84001, and Chassigny, are used to construct a unified and internally consistent model for the differentiation history of the Martian mantle and crystallization ages for Martian meteorites. The differentiation history of the shergottites and Nakhla/Chassigny are fundamentally different, which is in agreement with short-lived radiogenic isotope systematics. The initial Pb compositions of Nakhla/Chassigny are best explained by the late addition of a Pb-enriched component with a primitive, non-radiogenic composition. In contrast, the Pb isotopic compositions of the shergottite group indicate a relatively simple evolutionary history of the Martian mantle that can be modeled based on recent results from the Sm–Nd system. The shergottites have been linked to a single mantle differentiation event at 4504 Ma. Thus, the shergottite Pb isotopic model here reflects a two-stage history 1) pre-silicate differentiation (4504 Ma) and 2) post-silicate differentiation to the age of eruption (as determined by concordant radiogenic isochron ages). The μ-values (238U/204Pb) obtained for these two different stages of Pb growth are μ1 of 1.8 and a range of μ2 from 1.4–4.7, respectively. The μ1-value of 1.8 is in broad agreement with enstatite and ordinary chondrites and that proposed for proto Earth, suggesting this is the initial μ-value for inner Solar System bodies. When plotted against other source radiogenic isotopic variables (Sri, γ187Os, ε143Nd, and ε176Hf), the second stage mantle evolution range in observed mantle μ-values display excellent linear correlations (r2 > 0.85) and represent a spectrum of Martian mantle mixing-end members (depleted, intermediate, enriched).
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| 5. |
- Sanchez-Cano, B., et al.
(författare)
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Total electron content in the Martian atmosphere : A critical assessment of the Mars Express MARSIS data sets
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 120:3, s. 2166-2182
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The total electron content (TEC) is one of the most useful parameters to evaluate the behavior of the Martian ionosphere because it contains information on the total amount of free electrons, the main component of the Martian ionospheric plasma. The Mars Express Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) radar is able to derive TEC from both of its operation modes: (1) the active ionospheric sounding (AIS) mode and (2) the subsurface mode. TEC estimates from the subsurface sounding mode can be computed from the same raw data independently using different algorithms, which should yield similar results. Significant differences on the dayside, however, have been found from two of the algorithms. Moreover, both algorithms seem also to disagree with the TEC results from the AIS mode. This paper gives a critical, quantitative, and independent assessment of these discrepancies and indicates the possible uncertainty of these databases. In addition, a comparison between the results given by the empirical model of the Martian ionosphere developed by Sanchez-Cano et al. (2013) and the different data sets has been performed. The main result is that for solar zenith angles higher than 75 degrees, where the maximum plasma frequency is typically small compared with the radar frequencies, the two subsurface algorithms can be confidently used. For solar zenith angles less than 75 degrees, where the maximum plasma frequency is very close to the radar frequencies, both algorithms suffer limitations. Nevertheless, despite the solar zenith angle restrictions, the dayside TEC of one of the two algorithms is consistent with the modeled TEC.
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| 6. |
- Andrews, David J., et al.
(författare)
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Oblique reflections in the Mars Express MARSIS data set : Stable density structures in the Martian ionosphere
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics. - 2169-9380. ; 119:5, s. 3944-3960
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) onboard the European Space Agency's Mars Express (MEX) spacecraft routinely detects evidence of localized plasma density structures in the Martian dayside ionosphere. Such structures, likely taking the form of spatially extended elevations in the plasma density at a given altitude, give rise to oblique reflections in the Active Ionospheric Sounder data. These structures are likely related to the highly varied Martian crustal magnetic field. In this study we use the polar orbit of MEX to investigate the repeatability of the ionospheric structures producing these anomalous reflections, examining data taken in sequences of multiple orbits which pass over the same regions of the Martian surface under similar solar illuminations, within intervals lasting tens of days. Presenting three such examples, or case studies, we show for the first time that these oblique reflections are often incredibly stable, indicating that the underlying ionospheric structures are reliably reformed in the same locations and with qualitatively similar parameters. The visibility, or lack thereof, of a given oblique reflection on a single orbit can generally be attributed to variations in the crustal field within the ionosphere along the spacecraft trajectory. We show that, within these examples, oblique reflections are generally detected whenever the spacecraft passes over regions of intense near-radial crustal magnetic fields (i.e., with a cusp-like configuration). The apparent stability of these structures is an important feature that must be accounted for in models of their origin.
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| 7. |
- Fränz, M., et al.
(författare)
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Cold ion escape from the Martian ionosphere
- 2015
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 119, s. 92-102
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We here report on new measurements of the escape flux of oxygen ions from Mars by combining the observations of the ASPERA-3 and MARSIS experiments on board the European Mars Express spacecraft. We show that in previous estimates of the total heavy ion escape flow the contribution of the cold ionospheric outflow with energies below 10 eV has been underestimated. Both case studies and the derived flow pattern indicate that the cold plasma observed by MARSIS and the superthermal plasma observed by ASPERA-3 move with the same bulk speed in most regions of the Martian tail. We determine maps of the tailside heavy ion flux distribution derived from mean ion velocity distributions sampled over 7 years. If we assume that the superthermal bulk speed derived from these long time averages of the ion distribution function represent the total plasma bulk speed we derive the total tailside plasma flux. Assuming cylindrical symmetry we determine the mean total escape rate for the years 2007-2014 at 2.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(25) atoms/s which is in good agreement with model estimates. A possible mechanism to generate this flux can be the ionospheric pressure gradient between dayside and nightside.
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| 8. |
- Nemec, F., et al.
(författare)
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Empirical model of the Martian dayside ionosphere : Effects of crustal magnetic fields and solar ionizing flux at higher altitudes
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics. - 2169-9380 .- 2169-9402. ; 121:2, s. 1760-1771
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We use electron density profiles measured by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument on board the Mars Express spacecraft to investigate the effects of possible controlling parameters unconsidered in the empirical model of Nemec et al. (2011, hereafter N11). Specifically, we focus on the effects of crustal magnetic fields and F-10.7 proxy of the solar ionizing flux at higher altitudes. It is shown that while peak electron densities are nearly unaffected by crustal magnetic fields, electron densities at higher altitudes are significantly increased in areas of stronger magnetic fields. The magnetic field inclination appears to have only a marginal effect. Moreover, while the N11 empirical model accounted for the variable solar ionizing flux at low altitudes, the high-altitude diffusive region was parameterized only by the solar zenith angle and the altitude. It is shown that this can lead to considerable inaccuracies. A simple correction of the N11 model, which takes into account both the crustal magnetic field magnitude and the effect of F-10.7 at higher altitudes, is suggested.
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| 9. |
- Kasai, Y., et al.
(författare)
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Overview of the Martian atmospheric submillimetre sounder FIRE
- 2012
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Ingår i: Planetary and Space Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0032-0633 .- 1873-5088. ; 63-64:SI, s. 62-82
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We propose a submillimetre-wave atmospheric emission sounding instrument, called Far-InfraRed Experiment (FIRE), for the Japanese Martian exploration programme "Mars Exploration with Lander-Orbiter Synergy" (MELOS). The scientific target of FIRE/MELOS is to understand the dust suspended meteorology of the Mars. FIRE will provide key meteorological parameters, such as atmospheric temperature profiles for outside and inside dust storms, the abundance profile of the atmospheric compositions and their isotopes, and wind velocity profiles. FIRE will also provide the local time dependency of these parameters. The observational sensitivity of FIRE/MELOS is discussed in this paper. FIRE will explore the meteorological system of the Martian atmosphere including the interaction between its surface and atmosphere.
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| 10. |
- Listowski, C., et al.
(författare)
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Near-pure vapor condensation in the Martian atmosphere : CO2 ice crystal growth
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of geophysical research - planets. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-9097. ; 118:10, s. 2153-2171
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A new approach is presented to model the condensational growth of carbon dioxide (CO2) ice crystals on Mars. These condensates form in very particular conditions. First, approximate to 95% of the atmosphere is composed of CO2 so that near-pure vapor condensation takes place. Second, the atmosphere is rarefied, having dramatic consequences on the crystal growth. Indeed, the subsequently reduced efficiency of heat transport helps maintain a high temperature difference between the crystal surface and the environment, inhibiting the growth. Besides, the Stefan flow which would have been expected to increase the growth rate of the crystal, because of the near-pure vapor condensation, is negligible. We show that the heritage of the convenient and explicit linearized crystal growth rate formula used for Earth clouds, initially derived for a trace gas, has to be reconsidered in the case of near-pure vapor condensation for high saturation ratios that appear to be common in the Martian mesosphere. Nevertheless, by comparing our approach with a more complex condensation model, valid for all atmospheric conditions and all vapor abundances, we show that a very simple set of equations can still be used to efficiently reproduce the CO2 ice crystal growth rate. Our model, referred to as the CLASSIC model here, provides similar crystal growth rates than the traditionally used linearized growth rate models at low supersaturations but predicts lower crystal growth rates at high supersaturations. It can thus be used to model the condensational growth of CO2 ice crystals in the mesosphere where high supersaturations are observed.
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