The variability of the topside ionospheres of Venus and Mars as seen by recent radio science observations

IF 2.5 2区物理与天体物理 Q2 ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

Icarus Pub Date : 2025-01-31 DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2025.116469

Kerstin Peter , Martin Pätzold , Paul Withers , Robin Ramstad , Edward Thiemann , Markus Fränz , Silvia Tellmann , Bernd Häusler , Yoshifumi Futaana , Mats Holmström

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Abstract

This study combines the observations of the Venus Express Venus Radio science experiment (VeRa), Mars Express Mars Radio Science experiment (MaRS), and MAVEN Radio Occultation Science Experiment (ROSE) at Venus and Mars with proxies for environmental parameters, insolation and solar wind characteristics to compare the effects of individual drivers on the variability of the topside ionospheres of both planets.

The average extent and variability of the ionospheric topside of both planets decrease with increasing solar wind dynamic pressure. On Venus, the average altitude and variability of the ionospheric topside increase with rising solar EUV irradiation. On Mars, the extent of the ionospheric topside on the northern hemisphere under very low solar wind conditions is similarly affected by solar EUV, while the southern hemisphere is influenced by the presence of strong crustal magnetic fields and heliocentric distance. The relationship between the ionosphere on the southern hemisphere and heliocentric distance indicates that increased solar irradiation and atmospheric dust affect the extent of the ionospheric topside during southern summer.

A wide variety of ionospheric topside features, including traditional ionopause gradients, are observed in low noise level and near-vertical electron density profiles on the ionospheric dayside of both planets. All topside structures observed in the Venus ionosphere during the VEX mission are also seen at Mars. This suggests that despite the influence of unique drivers on each planet's ionosphere, the overall interaction of Mars with the solar wind shows many similarities to that of Venus during a weak solar cycle.

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来源期刊

Icarus 地学天文-天文与天体物理

CiteScore

6.30

自引率

18.80%

发文量

356

审稿时长

2-4 weeks

期刊介绍： Icarus is devoted to the publication of original contributions in the field of Solar System studies. Manuscripts reporting the results of new research - observational, experimental, or theoretical - concerning the astronomy, geology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, biology, and other scientific aspects of our Solar System or extrasolar systems are welcome. The journal generally does not publish papers devoted exclusively to the Sun, the Earth, celestial mechanics, meteoritics, or astrophysics. Icarus does not publish papers that provide "improved" versions of Bode''s law, or other numerical relations, without a sound physical basis. Icarus does not publish meeting announcements or general notices. Reviews, historical papers, and manuscripts describing spacecraft instrumentation may be considered, but only with prior approval of the editor. An entire issue of the journal is occasionally devoted to a single subject, usually arising from a conference on the same topic. The language of publication is English. American or British usage is accepted, but not a mixture of these.