Modeling of the O<sup>+</sup> pickup ion sputtering efficiency dependence on solar wind conditions for the Martian atmosphere - CNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets Année : 2014

Modeling of the O+ pickup ion sputtering efficiency dependence on solar wind conditions for the Martian atmosphere

Résumé

Sputtering of the Martian atmosphere by O+ pickup ions has been proposed as a potentially important process in the early evolution of the Martian atmosphere. In preparation for the MAVEN mission, we performed a study using a Monte Carlo model coupled to a molecular dynamic calculation to investigate the cascade sputtering effects in the region of the Martian exobase. Pickup ion fluxes based on test particle simulations in an MHD model for three different solar wind conditions are used to examine the local and global sputtering efficiencies. The resultant sputtering escape rate is 2 × 1024 s− 1 at nominal solar wind condition, and can be enhanced about 50 times when both the IMF strength and the solar wind pressure increase. It is found that when the IMF strength becomes stronger, both the pickup ion precipitation energies and the resultant sputtering efficiencies increase. The related escape flux, hot component, and atmospheric energy deposition deduced from the MAVEN measurements may reveal clues about the prominent enhanced sputtering effects. Significant hemispheric asymmetries can be observed related to the solar wind electric fields. The shielding by the crustal fields and the recycling onto the night-side due to different magnetic field draping features can also lead to regional variations of sputtering efficiencies. The results suggest that disturbed or enhanced solar wind conditions provide the best prospects for detecting sputtering effects for MAVEN mission.
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Dates et versions

hal-00924453 , version 1 (12-01-2021)

Identifiants

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Yung-Ching Wang, Janet G. Luhmann, François Leblanc, Xiaohua Fang, Robert E. Johnson, et al.. Modeling of the O+ pickup ion sputtering efficiency dependence on solar wind conditions for the Martian atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets, 2014, 119 (1), pp.93-108. ⟨10.1002/2013JE004413⟩. ⟨hal-00924453⟩
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