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- Title
Ambipolar Electric Field in the Martian Ionosphere: MAVEN Measurements.
- Authors
Akbari, H.; Andersson, L.; Peterson, W. K.; Ergun, R.; Espley, J.; Benna, M.
- Abstract
The altitude and the local solar time dependence of the electron pressure and the resulting ambipolar electric field in the Martian ionosphere have been investigated by utilizing the electron density and temperature measurements obtained by the Langmuir Probe and Waves instrument aboard the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission (MAVEN) spacecraft. The magnitude of the ambipolar electric field is estimated to be 1–2 μV/m on the dayside—producing, on average, a total potential drop of up to 800 mV below 600 km. These calculations, when combined with the previous understandings on the significance of the Poynting flux in the Martian ionosphere, suggest that the ambipolar electric field and the Poynting flux are equally important in establishing a steady state in which the ions are transported from below the exobase to higher altitudes. Key Points: The critical altitude at which the ions transition from unmagnetized to magnetized varies between 150 and 210 km and shows an asymmetry with local solar timeThe total potential drop between the transition altitude and the topside ionosphere (600 km) can reach to values above 800 mVThe role of the draped magnetic field topology on the balance of the various terms in the ion momentum equation is explored
- Subjects
ALTITUDES; ELECTRIC fields; IONOSPHERE; ELECTRON density; TEMPERATURE; SPACE vehicles
- Publication
Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, 2019, Vol 124, Issue 6, p4518
- ISSN
2169-9380
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2018JA026325