Dayside ionosphere of Mars: Empirical model based on data from the MARSIS instrument

0366436 - ÚFA 2012 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Němec, F. - Morgan, D. D. - Gurnett, D. A. - Duru, F. - Truhlík, Vladimír
Dayside ionosphere of Mars: Empirical model based on data from the MARSIS instrument.
Journal of Geophysical Research. Roč. 116, - (2011), E07003/1-E07003/14. ISSN 0148-0227
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30420517
Keywords : RADIO OCCULTATION MEASUREMENTS * GLOBAL SURVEYOR OBSERVATIONS * MARTIAN IONOSPHERE
Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics
Impact factor: 3.021, year: 2011
http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2011/2010JE003789.shtml

We present results of a systematic study of electron densities in the dayside Martian ionosphere measured by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) instrument on board the Mars Express spacecraft. There are two distinct regions controlled by different physical mechanisms. The first region is located at altitudes up to about 5 neutral scale heights above the altitude of peak electron density. Electron densities in this region are well described by the basic Chapman theory. The observed small deviations can be most probably explained by the neutral scale height and electron temperature increasing with altitude rather than being constant. The second region is located at altitudes higher than about 10 neutral scale heights above the altitude of peak electron density. It is controlled primarily by diffusion, and the observed electron densities decrease exponentially with increasing altitude.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0201431