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Observations of Plasma Waves near Mars and Their Implications for Atmospheric LossWe use data from over 500 premapping orbits of Mars Global Surveyor magnetometer data to present statistical results on the characteristics of the plasma waves in the near Mars space. We find that plasma waves in the dayside Martian magnetosheath are primarily compressional waves (i.e. magnetosonic or mirror mode waves) and in the nightside magnetosheath and tail regions that the waves are primarily associated with ion gyromotion. Some of these waves are produced by gyrating oxygen ions and as such represent observations of the ongoing erosion of the Martian atmosphere by the solar wind.
Document ID
20040060051
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Espley, J. R.
(Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Cloutier, P. A.
(Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Brain, D. A.
(California Univ. Berkeley, CA, United States)
Crider, D. H.
(Catholic Univ. of America Washington, DC, United States)
Acuna, M. H.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Mars Polar Processes: Land and Sky
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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