Dramatic Martian upper thermospheric neutral density decrease accompanying a solar energetic particle (SEP) event during the Halloween 2003 solar superstorm: atmospheric loss in action?

Details Dramatic Martian upper thermospheric neutral density decrease accompanying a solar energetic particle (SEP) event during the Halloween 2003 solar superstorm: atmospheric loss in action? Dramatic Martian upper thermospheric neutral density decrease accompanying a solar energetic particle (SEP) event during the Halloween 2003 solar superstorm: atmospheric loss in action?

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufmsa22a..02l&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #SA22A-02

Physics

0358 Thermosphere: Energy Deposition (3369), 3369 Thermospheric Dynamics (0358), 5405 Atmospheres (0343, 1060), 7807 Charged Particle Motion And Acceleration, 7823 Ionization Processes (2423)

Scientific paper

By measuring the pitch angle-dependent atmospheric absorption of magnetically reflecting solar wind electrons in MGS MAG/ER pitch angle distributions, we have developed a technique to monitor changes in the neutral density of the Martian nightside upper thermosphere (~180 - 230 km altitude) with a temporal resolution of ~12 hours. On October 28, 2003, co-incident with the arrival of an SEP event generated by an X-class superflare on the Sun, the character of this electron absorption changed, indicating an average neutral density decrease of almost an order of magnitude across the night hemisphere. Most of the decrease occurred over 12 hours or less and the density returned to its pre-storm level within 36-48 hours, before the arrival of the interplanetary coronal mass ejection (CME) shock. From these measurements alone, we cannot discern the exact physical process responsible, but direct atmospheric heating and impact ionization could play significant roles and both should enhance atmospheric loss to space. Regardless of the physical explanation, this is evidence that large SEP events can have a significant effect on the Martian neutral upper atmosphere.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Dramatic Martian upper thermospheric neutral density decrease accompanying a solar energetic particle (SEP) event during the Halloween 2003 solar superstorm: atmospheric loss in action? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Dramatic Martian upper thermospheric neutral density decrease accompanying a solar energetic particle (SEP) event during the Halloween 2003 solar superstorm: atmospheric loss in action?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dramatic Martian upper thermospheric neutral density decrease accompanying a solar energetic particle (SEP) event during the Halloween 2003 solar superstorm: atmospheric loss in action? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-965204