A model of the energetic ion environment of Mars

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA095iA02p00939· OSTI ID:5029429

Luhmann, J G ^[1]; Schwingenschuh, K ^[2]

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1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles (United States)
2. Austrian Space Research Inst., Graz (Austria)

Because Mars has a weak intrinsic magnetic field and a substantial atmosphere, instruments on orbiting spacecraft should detect a result from comet-like ion pickup in the solar wind and magnetosheath convection electric fields, in addition to those that might result from processes internal to a Martian magnetosphere. Although this ion exosphere has been previously discussed in the literature, detailed predictions that might be directly applied to the interpretation of data are not available. Here a test particle model is used to construct a global picture of Martian pickup ions in the Mars environment. The model makes use of the recent Nagy and Cravens (1988) model of the Martian exosphere and Spreiter and Stahara's (1980) gas dynamic model of the magnetosheath. The pickup of ions originating at Phobos is also considered. Notable properties of the resulting ion distributions include their near-monoenergetic spectra, pancake pitch angle distributions, and large gyroradii compared to the planetary scale.

• OSTI ID: 5029429
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 95:A2; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
HEAVY IONS
INTERACTIONS
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MARS PLANET
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
PLANETS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND