SPICAM observations and modeling of Mars aurorae

Modeling Mars’ ionosphere with constraints from same‐day observations by Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Express

[1] We have analyzed a brief period of same‐day observations of the Martian ionosphere using data obtained in December 2004 from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Express (MEX) radio occultation experiments. These data were taken shortly after sunrise under solstice conditions in both hemispheres, with MGS in the summer (northern) hemisphere at high latitudes while MEX was in the winter (...

Clouds in the Polar Night of Mars: Modeling and Observations with the Mars Climate Sounder

Introduction: Polar “cold spots” – regions of unusually low brightness temperature – affect the Martian climate by reducing the outgoing heat flux, which is balanced by the latent heat of CO2 sublimation. Since the Viking era, their cause has remained uncertain. Using radiometric observations from the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) during southern winter, we previously reported that transient cold ...

Numerical modeling of the magnetic topology near Mars auroral observations

[1] Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of the Mars magnetic field topology are presented for the auroral observations reported from the Mars Express SPICAM instrument. It is found that the field lines closest to the assumed emission location are open. That is, they are connected to the interplanetary magnetic field, thus allowing access for solar wind electrons to bombard the upper atmospher...

Density and temperatures of the upper martian atmosphere measured by stellar occultations with Mars Express SPICAM

Workshop on Mars Telescopic Observations