Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p13b1315l&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P13B-1315
Other
6017 Erosion And Weathering, 6225 Mars, 7846 Plasma Energization, 7867 Wave/Particle Interactions (2483, 6984)
Scientific paper
Recent results from Mars Express (Lundin et al., GRL 2008) display a comet-like behaviour of the Martian ionospheric plasma escape. Low-energy (cold) ionospheric plasma is swept from the dayside, expanding into the nightside/tail, eventually picking up speed in the central and deep tail. The cause of the plasma escape, i.e. the processes that bring ionospheric plasma to just above escape velocity (5 - 10 km/s), is of particular interest. In analogy with the polar wind of the Earth, ionospheric plasma is expected to become energized by waves and electric fields generated by solar wind energy and momentum transfer processes. The comet-like flow of low-energy ionospheric plasma, streaming along the external sheath flow, suggests a 'viscous-like' coupling between the sheath plasma and the expanding ionospheric plasma. Moreover, the tailward outflow is structured, frequently modulated in the same manner as the ULF wave activity in the Martian magnetosheath. This implies that wave activity is involved in the energization and escape of ionospheric ions. Another interesting feature in the ionospheric plasma escape from Mars is a large abundance of molecular ions, predominantly molecular heavy ions (e.g. O2+ and CO2+). However, we also find a significant fraction of low-energy/cold m/q=2 ionospheric ions; most likely molecular hydrogen (H2+) because the content is perhaps too high to qualify as Deuterium (D+). Whether H2+ or D+, the finding provides important information on the long-term, and short term, weathering and dissociation of water at Mars.
Barabash Stas
Holmström Mats
Lundin Richard
Nilsson Hampus
Yamauch M.
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