Martian Thermospheric Response to an X8.2 Solar Flare on 10 September 2017 as Seen by MAVEN/IUVS

Mars; X-class flare; Earth sciences; Geophysics; Cameron band emissions; High energy photons; Latitudinal gradients; Solar events; Volatile evolution; X-class flares; Ionosphere; Martian atmosphere

Abstract :

[en] We report the response of the Martian upper atmosphere to a strong X-class flare on 10 September 2017 as observed by the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) instrument aboard the Mars Atmosphere Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission. The solar flare peaked at 16:24 hr UT, and IUVS dayglow observations were taken about an hour after the flare peak. Retrieved temperatures from IUVS dayglow observations show a significant increase during the flare orbit, with a mean value of ∼270 K and a maximum value of ∼310 K. The retrieved temperatures during the flare orbit also show a strong latitudinal gradient, indicating that the flare-induced heating is limited between low and middle latitudes. During this event IUVS observed an ∼70% increase in the observed brightness of CO+ 2 ultraviolet doublet and CO Cameron band emission at 90 km, where high-energy photons (< 10 nm) deposit most of their energy. ©2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Disciplines :

Space science, astronomy & astrophysics

Author, co-author :

Jain, S. K.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Deighan, J.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Schneider, N. M.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Stewart, A. I. F.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Evans, J. S.; Computational Physics, Inc., Springfield, VA, United States

Thiemann, E. M. B.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Chaffin, M. S.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Crismani, M.; Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States

Stevens, M. H.; Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States

Elrod, M. K.; NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States

More authors (10 more)

Language :

English

Title :

Martian Thermospheric Response to an X8.2 Solar Flare on 10 September 2017 as Seen by MAVEN/IUVS

Publication date :

2018

Journal title :

Geophysical Research Letters

ISSN :

0094-8276

eISSN :

1944-8007

Publisher :

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

7312-7319

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

CU - University of Colorado System
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Available on ORBi :

since 22 May 2020

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