Asymmetries in Mars' Exosphere |
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Authors: | Mats Holmström |
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Institution: | (1) Swedish Institute of Space Physics, PO Box 812, SE-981 28 Kiruna, Sweden |
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Abstract: | Observations and simulations show that Mars' atmosphere has large seasonal variations. Total atmospheric density can have
an order of magnitude latitudinal variation at exobase heights. By numerical simulations we show that these latitude variations
in exobase parameters induce asymmetries in the hydrogen exosphere that propagate to large distances from the planet. We show
that these asymmetries in the exosphere produce asymmetries in the fluxes of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) and soft X-rays
produced by charge exchange between the solar wind and exospheric hydrogen. This could be an explanation for asymmetries that
have been observed in ENA and X-ray fluxes at Mars. |
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Keywords: | Mars energetic neutral atoms X-rays exospheres |
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