NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Unique, Non-Earthlike, Meteoritic Ion Behavior in Upper Atmosphere of MarsAbstract Interplanetary dust particles have long been expected to produce permanent ionospheric metal ion layers at Mars, as on Earth, but the two environments are so different that uncertainty existed as to whether terrestrial-established understanding would apply to Mars. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission made the first in situ detection of the continuous presence of Na+, Mg+, and Fe+ at Mars and indeed revealed non-Earthlike features/processes. There is no separation of the light Mg+ and the heavy Fe+ with increasing altitude as expected for gravity control. The metal ions are well-mixed with the neutral atmosphere at altitudes where no mixing process is expected. Isolated metal ion layers mimicking Earths sporadic E layers occur despite the lack of a strong magnetic field as required at Earth. Further, the metal ion distributions are coherent enough to always show atmospheric gravity wave signatures. All features and processes are unique to Mars.
Document ID
20170004680
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Grebowsky, J. M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Benna, M.
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Baltimore, MD, United States)
Plane, J. M. C.
(Leeds Univ. United Kingdom)
Collinson, G. A.
(Catholic Univ. of America Washington, DC, United States)
Mahaffy, P. R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Jakosky, B. M.
(Colorado Univ. Boulder, CO, United States)
Date Acquired
May 23, 2017
Publication Date
April 10, 2017
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 44
Issue: 7
ISSN: 0094-8276
e-ISSN: 1944-8007
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Space Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN42390
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNH10CC04C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG11PL10A
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG17PT01A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Meteoritic
Mars
Earthlike

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available