Retrieval of CO2 and N2 in the Martian thermosphere using dayglow observations by IUVS on MAVEN

Composition; Dayglow; Limb scan; Retrieval; Thermosphere; Carbon; Chemical analysis; Ionosphere; NASA; Upper atmosphere; Molecular nitrogen; Northern Hemispheres; Temperature variability; Volatile evolution; Carbon dioxide

Abstract :

[en] We present direct number density retrievals of carbon dioxide (CO2) and molecular nitrogen (N2) for the upper atmosphere of Mars using limb scan observations during October and November 2014 by the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on board NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft. We use retrieved CO2 densities to derive temperature variability between 170 and 220km. Analysis of the data shows (1) low-mid latitude northern hemisphere CO2 densities at 170km vary by a factor of about 2.5, (2) on average, the N2/CO2 increases from 0.042±0.017 at 130km to 0.12±0.06 at 200km, and (3) the mean upper atmospheric temperature is 324±22K for local times near 14:00. © 2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Disciplines :

Space science, astronomy & astrophysics

Author, co-author :

Evans, J. S.; Computational Physics, Inc. Springfield, Virginia USA

Stevens, M. H.; Naval Research Laboratory Washington, District of Columbia USA

Lumpe, J. D.; Computational Physics, Inc. Springfield, Virginia USA

Schneider, N. M.; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado USA

Stewart, A. I. F.; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado USA

Deighan, J.; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado USA

Jain, S. K.; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado USA

Chaffin, M. S.; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado USA

Crismani, M.; Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, Colorado USA

Stiepen, Arnaud ; Université de Liège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

More authors (11 more)

Language :

English

Title :

Retrieval of CO2 and N2 in the Martian thermosphere using dayglow observations by IUVS on MAVEN

Publication date :

2015

Journal title :

Geophysical Research Letters

ISSN :

0094-8276

eISSN :

1944-8007

Publisher :

Blackwell Publishing

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 11 January 2016

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