Thermal structure of the ionosphere of Mars - Simulations with one- and two-dimensional models

Heat flux saturation effects are included in the present one- and two-dimensional models of the Martian upper ionosphere's thermal structure. The inclusion of small upper boundary and volume heat sources is found to yield satisfactory simulations of the dayside ion temperature observation results obtained by Viking 1's retarding potential analyzers. It is noted that the plasma flow-transport of heat from the dayside to the nightside makes no contribution to the ion and electron temperatures that have been calculated for the nightside.