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Martian crustal field influence on O+ and O2+ escape as measured by MAVEN
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  • Tristan Weber,
  • David Andrew Brain,
  • Shaosui Xu,
  • David L. Mitchell,
  • Jared Espley,
  • Christian Mazelle,
  • James P. Mcfadden,
  • Bruce M. Jakosky
Tristan Weber
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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David Andrew Brain
University of Colorado Boulder
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Shaosui Xu
Space Sciences Lab, UC Berkeley
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David L. Mitchell
University of California, Berkeley
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Jared Espley
NASA GSFC
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Christian Mazelle
IRAP/CNRS
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James P. Mcfadden
University of California, Berkeley
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Bruce M. Jakosky
University of Colorado Boulder
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Abstract

Martian crustal magnetic fields influence the solar wind interaction with Mars in a way that is not fully understood. In some locations, crustal magnetic fields act as “mini-magnetospheres”, shielding the planet’s atmosphere, while in other locations they act as channels for enhanced energy input and particle escape. The net effect of this system is not intuitively clear, but previous modeling studies have suggested that crustal fields likely decrease global ion escape from Mars. In this study we use data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft to analyze how crustal magnetic fields influence both global and local ion escape at Mars. We find that crustal fields only increase ion escape if ions are assumed to be so unmagnetized that closed magnetic fields only trap 35% or less of energized Oxygen ions. In any other case, crustal fields decrease both global and local ion escape by as much as 40% and 80%, respectively. This suggests that the presence of crustal magnetic fields has had a moderate impact on atmospheric ion loss throughout Martian history, potentially influencing the planet’s atmospheric evolution and habitability.
Aug 2021Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics volume 126 issue 8. 10.1029/2021JA029234