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Dayside electron temperature and density profiles at Mars: First results from the MAVEN Langmuir probe and waves instrument
Author(s) -
Ergun R. E.,
Morooka M. W.,
Andersson L. A.,
Fowler C. M.,
Delory G. T.,
Andrews D. J.,
Eriksson A. I.,
McEnulty 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 - 10.1002/2015gl065280
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , altitude (triangle) , atmosphere of mars , ionosphere , atmospheric sciences , electron density , scale height , martian , solar zenith angle , physics , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , electron , astrobiology , geophysics , meteorology , geometry , quantum mechanics , mathematics
Abstract We present Mars' electron temperature ( T e ) and density ( n e ) altitude profiles derived from the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) mission deep dip orbits in April 2015, as measured by the Langmuir probe instrument. These orbits had periapsides below 130 km in altitude at low solar zenith angles. The periapsides were above the peak in n e during this period. Using a Chapman function fit, we find that scale height and projected altitude of the n e peak are consistent with models and previous measurements. The peak electron density is slightly higher than earlier works. For the first time, we present in situ measurements of T e altitude profiles in Mars' dayside in the altitude range from ~130 km to 500 km and provide a functional fit. Importantly, T e rises rapidly with altitude from ~180 km to ~300 km. These results and functional fit are important for modeling Mars' ionosphere and understanding atmospheric escape.