Abstract
Solar wind protons can charge exchange with the extensive hydrogen
corona of Mars, resulting in a significant flux of energetic neutral
atoms (ENAs). As these solar wind hydrogen ENAs precipitate into the
upper atmosphere, they can experience electron attachment or detachment,
resulting in populations of H− and H+, respectively, with upstream
velocity. We seek to characterize the behavior of H− in the ionosphere
of Mars through a combination of in situ data analysis and mathematical
models. Observations indicate that measurable H− precipitation in the
ionosphere of Mars is rare, occurring during only 1.8% of available
observations. These events occur primarily during high energy solar wind
conditions near perihelion. We also compare H− fluxes to those of H+ and
find that H− fluxes are ∼4.5 times less than H+, indicating preferential
conversion of hydrogen ENAs to H+. We develop a simple model describing
the evolution of the charged and neutral fraction of ENAs and H− ions
versus altitude. We find that 0.29 - 0.78% of ENAs are converted to H−
for solar wind energies 1 - 3 keV. We also predict that the effects of
photodetachment on the H-H− system are non-negligible.