Abstract
Martian sub-solar electron temperatures obtained below 250 km are
examined using data obtained by instruments on the Mars Atmosphere
Evolution Mission (MAVEN) during the three sub-solar deep dip campaigns
and a one-dimensional fluid model. This analysis was done because of the
uncertainty in MAVEN low electron temperature observations at low
altitudes and the fact that the Level 2 temperatures reported from the
MAVEN Langmuir Probe and Waves (LPW) instrument are more than 400 Kelvin
above the neutral temperatures at the lowest altitudes sampled
(~120 km). These electron temperatures are well above
those expected before MAVEN was launched. We find that an empirical
normalization parameter, neutral pressure divided by local electron
heating rate, organized the electron temperature data and identified a
similar altitude (~160 km) and time scale
(~2,000 s) for all three deep dips. We show that MAVEN
data are not consistent with a plasma characterized by electrons in
thermal equilibrium with the neutral population at 100 km. Because of
the lack data below 120 km and the uncertainties of the data and the
cross sections used in the one dimensional fluid model above 120 km, we
cannot use MAVEN observations to prove that the electron temperature
converges to the neutral temperature below 100 km. However, the lack of
our understanding the electron temperature altitude profile below 120 km
does not impact our understanding of the role of electron temperature in
determining ion escape rates because ion escape is determined by
electron temperatures above 180 km.