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- Title
Observations of Sounder Accelerated Electrons by Mars Express.
- Authors
Barabash, S.; Voshchepynets, A.; Holmstrom, M.; Frahm, R. A.; Nillsson, H.; Andrews, D.; Kopf, A.; Winningham, J. D.
- Abstract
The electron sensor of the Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms experiment detects accelerated electrons during pulses of radio emissions from the powerful topside sounder: the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) on board the Mars Express spacecraft. Accelerated electrons are observed at energies up to 400 eV at the times when MARSIS transmits at a frequency between the local plasma frequency and its harmonics (up to 4 times the plasma frequency). When the electron density and magnetic field strength are low (∼103 cm −3, ∼ 10 nT), the accelerated electrons are almost monoenergetic electron beams. An increase in density and magnetic field (∼3·103 cm −3, ∼ 50 nT) leads to substantial broadening of the energy spectrum of the accelerated electrons. It is concluded that in the latter case, electrons are accelerated by the variable spacecraft potential resulting from the imbalance of the electron and ion currents to the MARSIS antenna during transmission. Key Points: Accelerated electrons are detected by the electron sensor of ASPERA‐3 during the sounding phase of the Mars Express sounder MARSISThe energy of the accelerated electrons is found to be in the range from 20 to 400 eVObservations coincide in time with periods when MARSIS transmits in frequencies between the local plasma frequency and its fourth harmonic
- Subjects
ELECTRONS; SPACE plasmas; SOLAR radio emission; ELECTRON density; PLASMA frequencies
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, 2020, Vol 125, Issue 1, pN.PAG
- ISSN
2169-9380
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2019JA027206