Solar cycle effects on the ion escape from Mars. Issue 23 (6th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lundin, R.; Barabash, S.; Holmström, M.; Nilsson, H.; Futaana, Y.; Ramstad, R.; Yamauchi, M.; Dubinin, E.; Fraenz, M.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 40:Issue 23(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 6028
• Page End: 6032
• Publication Date: 2013-12-06
• Subjects: Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2013GL058154
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>[1] Solar cycle effects on the escape of planetary ions from Mars are investigated using Mars Express Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms 3 data from June 2007 to January 2013. Average and median tail fluxes of low‐energy (&lt;300 eV) heavy ions (O⁺, O₂⁺), derived from the full data set covering 7900 orbits, are highly correlated with the solar activity proxies <italic>F</italic>_10.7 and the sunspot number, <italic>Ri</italic>. The average heavy ion escape rate increased by a factor of ≈ 10, from ≈ 1 · 10²⁴ s⁻¹ (solar minimum) to ≈ 1 · 10²⁵ s⁻¹ (solar maximum). Combining data from this, and other studies, an empiric model/expression is derived for the Martian escape rate versus solar activity <italic>F</italic>_10.7 and <italic>Ri</italic>. The model is a useful tool to derive the accumulated ion escape rate from Mars based on historical records of solar activity, with potentials back to the young Sun époque.</p> </abstract>