Early MAVEN Deep Dip campaign reveals thermosphere and ionosphere variability.
Science
; 350(6261): aad0459, 2015 Nov 06.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26542579
ABSTRACT
The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission, during the second of its Deep Dip campaigns, made comprehensive measurements of martian thermosphere and ionosphere composition, structure, and variability at altitudes down to ~130 kilometers in the subsolar region. This altitude range contains the diffusively separated upper atmosphere just above the well-mixed atmosphere, the layer of peak extreme ultraviolet heating and primary reservoir for atmospheric escape. In situ measurements of the upper atmosphere reveal previously unmeasured populations of neutral and charged particles, the homopause altitude at approximately 130 kilometers, and an unexpected level of variability both on an orbit-to-orbit basis and within individual orbits. These observations help constrain volatile escape processes controlled by thermosphere and ionosphere structure and variability.
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MEDLINE
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En
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Science
Año:
2015
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Article
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Estados Unidos