2023
Ref: SCART-2024-0117

Analysis of two selected solar events in 2011 and 2015 with Mars Express radio occultation data

Krishnan, A. ; Karatekin, O. ; Verkercke, S. ; Henry, G. ; Sánchez-Cano, B. ; Witasse, O.


published in Radio Science, 58 issue 12, pp. 1-14. (2023)

Abstract: The temporal behavior of the Martian ionosphere is highly variable due to various dynamic processes including space weather events. Here, we study the effect of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on the Martian ionosphere for two selected solar events in 2011 and 2015, using the publicly available Mars EXpress (MEX) radio occultation (RO) data (MaRS). We developed a data processing software that converts the calibrated Radio Occultation (RO) Doppler data to scientifically valuable atmospheric profiles. Using this software and previously unexplored MaRS observations, the variations in ionospheric parameters (electron density profiles and total electron content (TEC)) are calculated in order to evaluate the ionospheric changes due to solar flares and CMEs. The RO measurements mostly available 1–4 days apart from the peak events, showed no evident change in the TEC nor in the shape of electron density profiles except for a possible gradual decrease in altitude of M2 (main layer) peak density following the arrival of CMEs. To better quantify the effect of solar events on electron density profiles, RO observations near the time of arrival of solar flares and CMEs are crucial. This can be achieved by frequent RO measurements by various Mars orbiters including spacecraft-to-spacecraft measurements assisted by multi-instrument monitoring of the ionosphere.

DOI: 10.1029/2023RS007784


The record appears in these collections:
Royal Observatory of Belgium > Reference Systems & Planetology
Science Articles > Peer Reviewed Articles



 Record created 2024-03-06, last modified 2024-03-06