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1
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Sánchez-Cano B, Lester M, Andrews DJ, Opgenoorth H, Lillis R, Leblanc F, Fowler CM, Fang X, Vaisberg O, Mayyasi M, Holmberg M, Guo J, Hamrin M, Mazelle C, Peter K, Pätzold M, Stergiopoulou K, Goetz C, Ermakov VN, Shuvalov S, Wild JA, Blelly PL, Mendillo M, Bertucci C, Cartacci M, Orosei R, Chu F, Kopf AJ, Girazian Z, Roman MT. Mars' plasma system. Scientific potential of coordinated multipoint missions: "The next generation". EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY 2021; 54:641-676. [PMID: 36915625 PMCID: PMC9998566 DOI: 10.1007/s10686-021-09790-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this White Paper, submitted to ESA's Voyage 2050 call, is to get a more holistic knowledge of the dynamics of the Martian plasma system, from its surface up to the undisturbed solar wind outside of the induced magnetosphere. This can only be achieved with coordinated multi-point observations with high temporal resolution as they have the scientific potential to track the whole dynamics of the system (from small to large scales), and they constitute the next generation of the exploration of Mars analogous to what happened at Earth a few decades ago. This White Paper discusses the key science questions that are still open at Mars and how they could be addressed with coordinated multipoint missions. The main science questions are: (i) How does solar wind driving impact the dynamics of the magnetosphere and ionosphere? (ii) What is the structure and nature of the tail of Mars' magnetosphere at all scales? (iii) How does the lower atmosphere couple to the upper atmosphere? (iv) Why should we have a permanent in-situ Space Weather monitor at Mars? Each science question is devoted to a specific plasma region, and includes several specific scientific objectives to study in the coming decades. In addition, two mission concepts are also proposed based on coordinated multi-point science from a constellation of orbiting and ground-based platforms, which focus on understanding and solving the current science gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Lester
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Hermann Opgenoorth
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Robert Lillis
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - François Leblanc
- Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | | | - Xiaohua Fang
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, CO Boulder, USA
| | - Oleg Vaisberg
- Space Research Institute of Russian academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Mika Holmberg
- European Space Research and Technology Center, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - Jingnan Guo
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | | | - Christian Mazelle
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Toulouse, France
| | - Kerstin Peter
- Department of Planetary Research, Rhenish Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Pätzold
- Department of Planetary Research, Rhenish Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Charlotte Goetz
- European Space Research and Technology Center, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sergei Shuvalov
- Space Research Institute of Russian academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - James A. Wild
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | | | | | - Cesar Bertucci
- Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Roberto Orosei
- Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Istituto di Radioastronomia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Feng Chu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA USA
| | - Andrew J. Kopf
- Astronomical Applications Department, United States Naval Observatory, Washington, DC USA
| | - Zachary Girazian
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA USA
| | - Michael T. Roman
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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3
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Fang X, Pawlowski D, Ma Y, Bougher S, Thiemann E, Eparvier F, Wang W, Dong C, Lee CO, Dong Y, Benna M, Elrod M, Chamberlin P, Mahaffy P, Jakosky B. Mars Upper Atmospheric Responses to the 10 September 2017 Solar Flare: A Global, Time-Dependent Simulation. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2019; 46:9334-9343. [PMID: 33795894 PMCID: PMC8011554 DOI: 10.1029/2019gl084515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We report the first global, time-dependent simulation of the Mars upper atmospheric responses to a realistic solar flare event, an X8.2 eruption on 10 September 2017. The Mars Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model runs with realistically specified flare irradiance, giving results in reasonably good agreement with the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft measurements. It is found that the ionized and neutral regimes of the upper atmosphere are significantly disturbed by the flare but react differently. The ionospheric electron density enhancement is concentrated below ~110-km altitude due to enhanced solar X-rays, closely following the time evolution of the flare. The neutral atmospheric perturbation increases with altitude and is important above ~150-km altitude, in association with atmospheric upwelling driven by solar extreme ultraviolet heating. It takes ~2.5 hr past the flare peak to reach the maximum disturbance and then additional ~10 hr to generally settle down to preflare levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Fang
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - David Pawlowski
- Physics and Astronomy Department, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
| | - Yingjuan Ma
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Stephen Bougher
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Edward Thiemann
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Francis Eparvier
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Wenbin Wang
- High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Chuanfei Dong
- Department of Astrophysical Sciences and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Christina O Lee
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yaxue Dong
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mehdi Benna
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | | | - Phillip Chamberlin
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Paul Mahaffy
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - Bruce Jakosky
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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5
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Jakosky BM, Grebowsky JM, Luhmann JG, Connerney J, Eparvier F, Ergun R, Halekas J, Larson D, Mahaffy P, McFadden J, Mitchell DF, Schneider N, Zurek R, Bougher S, Brain D, Ma YJ, Mazelle C, Andersson L, Andrews D, Baird D, Baker D, Bell JM, Benna M, Chaffin M, Chamberlin P, Chaufray YY, Clarke J, Collinson G, Combi M, Crary F, Cravens T, Crismani M, Curry S, Curtis D, Deighan J, Delory G, Dewey R, DiBraccio G, Dong C, Dong Y, Dunn P, Elrod M, England S, Eriksson A, Espley J, Evans S, Fang X, Fillingim M, Fortier K, Fowler CM, Fox J, Gröller H, Guzewich S, Hara T, Harada Y, Holsclaw G, Jain SK, Jolitz R, Leblanc F, Lee CO, Lee Y, Lefevre F, Lillis R, Livi R, Lo D, Mayyasi M, McClintock W, McEnulty T, Modolo R, Montmessin F, Morooka M, Nagy A, Olsen K, Peterson W, Rahmati A, Ruhunusiri S, Russell CT, Sakai S, Sauvaud JA, Seki K, Steckiewicz M, Stevens M, Stewart AIF, Stiepen A, Stone S, Tenishev V, Thiemann E, Tolson R, Toublanc D, Vogt M, Weber T, Withers P, Woods T, Yelle R. MAVEN observations of the response of Mars to an interplanetary coronal mass ejection. Science 2015; 350:aad0210. [PMID: 26542576 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Coupling between the lower and upper atmosphere, combined with loss of gas from the upper atmosphere to space, likely contributed to the thin, cold, dry atmosphere of modern Mars. To help understand ongoing ion loss to space, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft made comprehensive measurements of the Mars upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the Sun and solar wind during an interplanetary coronal mass ejection impact in March 2015. Responses include changes in the bow shock and magnetosheath, formation of widespread diffuse aurora, and enhancement of pick-up ions. Observations and models both show an enhancement in escape rate of ions to space during the event. Ion loss during solar events early in Mars history may have been a major contributor to the long-term evolution of the Mars atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J M Grebowsky
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - J G Luhmann
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - J Connerney
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - F Eparvier
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R Ergun
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - J Halekas
- University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - D Larson
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - P Mahaffy
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - J McFadden
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - D F Mitchell
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - R Zurek
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - S Bougher
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - D Brain
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Y J Ma
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - C Mazelle
- CNRS-Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | | | - D Andrews
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - D Baird
- NASA/Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - D Baker
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - J M Bell
- National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, VA, USA
| | - M Benna
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - M Chaffin
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - P Chamberlin
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - Y-Y Chaufray
- Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux et observations spatiales (LATMOS)-CNRS, Paris, France
| | - J Clarke
- Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - G Collinson
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - M Combi
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - F Crary
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - T Cravens
- University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - M Crismani
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - S Curry
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - D Curtis
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - J Deighan
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - G Delory
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - R Dewey
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - G DiBraccio
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - C Dong
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Y Dong
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - P Dunn
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - M Elrod
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - S England
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - A Eriksson
- Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J Espley
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - S Evans
- Computational Physics, Inc., Boulder, CO, USA
| | - X Fang
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - M Fillingim
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - K Fortier
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - C M Fowler
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - J Fox
- Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - H Gröller
- University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - S Guzewich
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - T Hara
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Y Harada
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - G Holsclaw
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - S K Jain
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R Jolitz
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - F Leblanc
- Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux et observations spatiales (LATMOS)-CNRS, Paris, France
| | - C O Lee
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Y Lee
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - F Lefevre
- Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux et observations spatiales (LATMOS)-CNRS, Paris, France
| | - R Lillis
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - R Livi
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - D Lo
- University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - T McEnulty
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R Modolo
- Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux et observations spatiales (LATMOS)-CNRS, Paris, France
| | - F Montmessin
- Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux et observations spatiales (LATMOS)-CNRS, Paris, France
| | - M Morooka
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - A Nagy
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - K Olsen
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - W Peterson
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - A Rahmati
- University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | | | - C T Russell
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S Sakai
- University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - J-A Sauvaud
- CNRS-Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - K Seki
- Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - M Steckiewicz
- CNRS-Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - M Stevens
- Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - A Stiepen
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - S Stone
- University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - V Tenishev
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - E Thiemann
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R Tolson
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - D Toublanc
- CNRS-Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France. University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - M Vogt
- Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T Weber
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - T Woods
- University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - R Yelle
- University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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