Neutral Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere Modeling

Bougher, S. W.; Blelly, Pierre Louis; Combi, M. R.; Fox, Jane L.; Mueller-Wodarg, Ingo; Ridley, A. J.; Roble, R. G.

doi:10.1007/s11214-008-9401-9

Cited by 96 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 136 publications

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“…Moreover, as we described above, the M-TGCM model may not be able to handle the extreme cases (i.e., resulting in large vertical velocities) due to the hydrostatic assumption. M-TGCM is an upper atmosphere model which takes the NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model outputs as its lower boundary conditions [see Bougher et al, 2008].…”

Section: Bats-r-us Mars Multifluid Mhd Model the University Of Michigmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solar wind interaction with the Martian upper atmosphere: Crustal field orientation, solar cycle, and seasonal variations

Dong

Bougher

et al. 2015

JGR Space Physics

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A comprehensive study of the solar wind interaction with the Martian upper atmosphere is presented. Three global models: the 3‐D Mars multifluid Block Adaptive Tree Solar‐wind Roe Upwind Scheme MHD code (MF‐MHD), the 3‐D Mars Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model (M‐GITM), and the Mars exosphere Monte Carlo model Adaptive Mesh Particle Simulator (M‐AMPS) were used in this study. These models are one‐way coupled; i.e., the MF‐MHD model uses the 3‐D neutral inputs from M‐GITM and the 3‐D hot oxygen corona distribution from M‐AMPS. By adopting this one‐way coupling approach, the Martian upper atmosphere ion escape rates are investigated in detail with the combined variations of crustal field orientation, solar cycle, and Martian seasonal conditions. The calculated ion escape rates are compared with Mars Express observational data and show reasonable agreement. The variations in solar cycles and seasons can affect the ion loss by a factor of ∼3.3 and ∼1.3, respectively. The crustal magnetic field has a shielding effect to protect Mars from solar wind interaction, and this effect is the strongest for perihelion conditions, with the crustal field facing the Sun. Furthermore, the fraction of cold escaping heavy ionospheric molecular ions [( and/or )/Total] are inversely proportional to the fraction of the escaping (ionospheric and corona) atomic ion [O+/Total], whereas and ion escape fractions show a positive linear correlation since both ion species are ionospheric ions that follow the same escaping path.

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Section: Bats-r-us Mars Multifluid Mhd Model the University Of Michigmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solar wind interaction with the Martian upper atmosphere: Crustal field orientation, solar cycle, and seasonal variations

Dong

Bougher

et al. 2015

JGR Space Physics

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“…Figures 9, 10 and 11 show the zonal and meridional thermospheric wind predicted by the Mars Thermospheric General Circulation Model (MTGCM; Bougher et al 2008;Bougher 2012). Figures 9-11 show MTGCM calculated winds (eastward and northward are positive in value) along selected spacecraft orbit tracks during Deep-Dip (DD) campaigns 1, 3, and 4, respectively, at altitudes from 125 km (near the expected periapsis altitude) to 140 km.…”

Section: Mtgcm Wind Predictionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of MAVEN Accelerometer and Attitude Control Data to Mars Atmospheric Characterization

et al. 2014

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The structure of the upper atmosphere of Mars (above ∼100 km) has been probed in situ mainly using spacecraft accelerometers during the aerobraking phases of 3 Mars orbiters. In a similar manner, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Accelerometer Experiment (ACC) will also use atmospheric drag accelerations sensed by inertial measurement units (IMU) onboard the spacecraft to recover atmospheric density along the orbiter path. These densities are used to estimate hydrostatic 'vertical' density and temperature profiles, along track and altitudinal density waves, and latitudinal and longitudinal density variations. The IMU accelerometer signal-to-noise should permit profile reconstructions from spacecraft periapsis, nominally at 150 km altitude, to ∼ 170 km, an altitude range nominally spanning densities of 0.05-0.15 kg/km 3 . However, in situ measurements over a much greater altitude range, down to ∼125 km (reaching densities of ∼2-3.5 kg/km 3 ), can be made during each of five week-long "Deep Dip" (DD) campaigns, and these are the prime focus of the Accelerometer Experiment. Judicious choice of the timing of these Deep-Dip campaigns during the MAVEN periapsis progression through local time, latitude and longitude in both hemispheres and in different seasons will add significantly to the existing data base of lower thermospheric densities. Other IMU and attitude control data may be used to estimate torques in order to improve the atmospheric density analysis, especially

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“…Given this very limited direct observation of the atmospheric altitude variation, plus globally patchy statistical measurements of the density from accelerometer measurements, comprehensive 3D thermospheric circulation models (e.g., [13,14]), constrained by the measurements, have been developed during the last decade. Such models solve the coupled continuity, momentum and energy equations and provide the densities, temperature and velocities of the major species.…”

Section: Neutral Upper Atmospherementioning

confidence: 99%

Current understanding of the aeronomy of Mars

Nagy

Grebowsky

2015

Geosci. Lett.

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This paper provides a short overview of our current understanding of the upper atmosphere/ionosphere of Mars including the escaping neutral atmosphere to space that plays a key role in the current state of the Mars upper atmosphere. The proper definition of the word "aeronomy" relates to the upper atmosphere where ionization is important. Currently there is a paucity of measurements of the internal physical structure of the Martian upper atmosphere/ionosphere. Much that we know has been deduced from theoretical models that predict many more things than thus far measured. The newest Mars orbital missions, the US MAVEN and Indian MOM missions, just beginning their science analyses, will provide the measurements needed to fully characterize the aeronomy of Mars.

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Neutral Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere Modeling

Cited by 96 publications

References 136 publications

Solar wind interaction with the Martian upper atmosphere: Crustal field orientation, solar cycle, and seasonal variations

Solar wind interaction with the Martian upper atmosphere: Crustal field orientation, solar cycle, and seasonal variations

Application of MAVEN Accelerometer and Attitude Control Data to Mars Atmospheric Characterization

Current understanding of the aeronomy of Mars

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