Solar cycle variation of the upper atmosphere temperature of Mars

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

OSTI ID:6050747

Hantsch, M H ^[1]; Bauer, S J

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1. Univ. of Graz (Austria)

Neutral gas temperatures inferred from topside plasma scale heights of electron density distributions obtained from observations by US and USSR Mars missions imply a much higher dependence of solar activity (expressed by the 10.7 cm radio flux F{sub 10.7}) than that found for Venus. This dependence, however, does not appear to be consistent with the observed solar cycle dependence of ionospheric peak plasma densities. The reason for this discrepancy seems to lie in the fact, that photochemical equilibrium applies only to altitudes below 170 km, whereas topside scale heights are usually derived for a much greater altitude range and thus may be modified by transport and other processes. If scale heights are obtained by matching a Chapman-layer to plasma density profiles near the ionosphere peak, the derived neutral temperatures show a much weaker dependence on F{sub 10.7}, in fact one essentially the same as for Venus. Thus, the response of the upper atmosphere for Mars, at least near the ionospheric peak, appears to be virtually identical to that of Venus.

• OSTI ID: 6050747
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 16:5; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
ELECTRON DENSITY
MARS PLANET
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLANETS
PLASMA DENSITY
SOLAR ACTIVITY
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
VARIATIONS
VENUS PLANET