Martian ionosphere observed by Mars Express. 1. Influence of the crustal magnetic fields

The daytime martian ionosphere has been observed as a two-layer structure with electron densities that peak at altitudes between about 110 and 130 kilometers. The Mars Express Orbiter Radio Science Experiment on the European Mars Express spacecraft observed, in 10 out of 120 electron density profiles, a third ionospheric layer at altitude ranges of 65 to 110 kilometers, where electron densities, on average, peaked at 0.8 × 1010 per cubic meter. Such a layer has been predicted to be permanent and continuous. Its origin has been attributed to ablation of meteors and charge exchange of magnesium and iron. Our observations imply that this layer is present sporadically and locally.

Download Full-text

Oblique reflections in the Mars Express MARSIS data set: Stable density structures in the Martian ionosphere

Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics ◽

10.1002/2013ja019697 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 119 (5) ◽

pp. 3944-3960 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

D. J. Andrews ◽

M. André ◽

H. J Opgenoorth ◽

N. J. T. Edberg ◽

C. Diéval ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Data Set ◽

Mars Express ◽

Martian Ionosphere

Download Full-text

The Analysis of the Topside Additional Layer of Martian Ionosphere Using MARSIS/Mars Express Data

Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences ◽

10.5140/jass.2012.29.4.337 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 337-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Eojin Kim ◽

Haingja Seo ◽

Joo Hyeon Kim ◽

Joo Hee Lee ◽

Yong Ha Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mars Express ◽

Additional Layer ◽

Martian Ionosphere

Download Full-text

Retrieval of ionospheric profiles from the Mars Express MARSIS experiment data and comparison with radio-occultation data

Geoscientific Instrumentation Methods and Data Systems Discussions ◽

10.5194/gid-2-87-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 87-106

Author(s):

B. Sánchez-Cano ◽

O. Witasse ◽

M. Herraiz ◽

S. M. Radicella ◽

J. Bauer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radio Occultation ◽

European Space Agency ◽

Planetary Science ◽

Data Set ◽

Mars Express ◽

Radio Science ◽

Space Agency ◽

Martian Ionosphere ◽

Occultation Data ◽

Ionospheric Sounding

Abstract. Since 2005 the Mars Advanced Radar and Ionospheric Sounding experiment (MARSIS) aboard Mars Express has acquired a unique data set on the ionosphere of Mars made up of ionospheric soundings taken by the instrument working in its Active Ionospheric Sounding (AIS) mode. These soundings play a role similar to those of modern Terrestrial digisondes in the analysis of our planet ionosphere and have allowed us to dramatically improve our knowledge about the Martian ionosphere. This paper describes this kind of data, which are available from the public Planetary Science Archive, and introduces the MAISDAT tool developed by the European Space Agency to analyze and derive the vertical profile of electron density. Comparisons with radio-occultation profiles obtained from Mars Express Radio Science instrument are performed to validate the procedure used in this study.

Download Full-text