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Ionospheric plasma density variations observed at Mars by MAVEN/LPW
Author(s) -
Andrews D. J.,
Andersson L.,
Delory G. T.,
Ergun R. E.,
Eriksson A. I.,
Fowler C. M.,
McEnulty T.,
Morooka M. W.,
Weber T.,
Jakosky B. M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl065241
Subject(s) - ionosphere , mars exploration program , thermosphere , plasma , atmospheric sciences , atmosphere of mars , terminator (solar) , spacecraft , physics , atmosphere (unit) , earth's magnetic field , environmental science , martian , geology , geophysics , astrobiology , meteorology , astronomy , magnetic field , quantum mechanics
We report on initial observations made by the Langmuir Probe and Waves relaxation soundingexperiment on board the NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission. These measurements yield the ionospheric thermal plasma density, and we use these data here for an initial survey of its variability. Studying orbit‐to‐orbit variations, we show that the relative variability of the ionospheric plasma density is lowest at low altitudes near the photochemical peak, steadily increases toward higher altitudes and sharply increases as the spacecraft crosses the terminator and moves into the nightside. Finally, despite the small volume of data currently available, we show that a clear signature of the influence of crustal magnetic fields on the thermal plasma density fluctuations is visible. Such results are consistent with previously reported remote measurements made at higher altitudes, but crucially, here we sample a new span of altitudes between ∼130 and ∼300 km using in situ techniques.