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Solar and solar wind energy drivers for O+ and O2+ ion escape at Mars
  • +8
  • Neesha Regmi Schnepf,
  • Yaxue Dong,
  • David Andrew Brain,
  • Kathleen Gwen Hanley,
  • William K. Peterson,
  • Robert J Strangeway,
  • Edward Michael Benjamin Thiemann,
  • Jasper S. Halekas,
  • Jared Randolph Espley,
  • Francis G. Eparvier,
  • James P. Mcfadden
Neesha Regmi Schnepf
Laboratory for Atmospheric & Space Physics, CU Boulder

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Yaxue Dong
University of Colorado Boulder
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David Andrew Brain
University of Colorado Boulder
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Kathleen Gwen Hanley
Space Science Laboratory, UC Berkerley
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William K. Peterson
University of Colorado Boulder
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Robert J Strangeway
University of California at Los Angeles
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Edward Michael Benjamin Thiemann
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
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Jasper S. Halekas
University of Iowa
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Jared Randolph Espley
NASA Goddard
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Francis G. Eparvier
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
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James P. Mcfadden
University of California, Berkeley
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Abstract

Mars once had a dense atmosphere enabling liquid water existing on its surface, however, much of that atmosphere has since escaped to space. We examine how incoming solar and solar wind energy fluxes drive escape of atomic and molecular oxygen ions (O+ and O2+) at Mars. We use MAVEN data to evaluate ion escape from February 1, 2016 through May 25, 2022. We find that Martian O+ and O2+ both have increased escape flux with increased solar wind kinetic energy flux and this relationship is generally logarithmic. Increased solar wind electromagnetic energy flux also corresponds to increased O+ and O2+ escape flux, however, increased solar wind electromagnetic energy flux seems to first dampen ion escape until a threshold level is reached, at which point ion escape increases with increasing electromagnetic energy flux. Increased solar irradiance (both total and ionizing) does not obviously increase escape of O+ and O2+. Our results suggest that the solar wind electromagnetic energy flux should be considered along with the kinetic energy flux as an important driver of ion escape, and that other parameters should be considered when evaluating solar irradiance’s impact on O+ and O2+ escape.
23 Feb 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
23 Feb 2024Published in ESS Open Archive