Twilight Limb Observations of Aerosols in the Martian Atmosphere by MAVEN IUVS

Daniel Y. Lo (1) , Roger V. Yelle (1) , Nicholas M. Schneider (2) , Sonal K. Jain (2) , A. Ian F. Stewart (2) , Justin I. Deighan (2) , Arnaud Stiepen (3) , J. S. Evans (4) , Michael H. Stevens (5) , Michael S. Chaffin (2) , W. E. Mcclintock (2) , John T. Clarke (6) , Greg M. Holsclaw (2) , Franck Lefèvre (7) , Bruce M. Jakosky (2)

1 LPL - Lunar and Planetary Laboratory [Tucson]
2 LASP - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics [Boulder]
3 LPAP - Laboratoire de Physique Atmosphérique et Planétaire
4 Computational Physics, Inc.
5 NRL - Naval Research Laboratory
6 CSP - Center for Space Physics [Boston]
7 PLANETO - LATMOS

Aerosols in the Martian atmosphere play a fundamental role in controlling the climate of the Red Planet. By modifying the absorption and scattering of solar radiation at various altitudes, aerosols control the temperature profile in the atmosphere, driving circulations that result in a variety of effects, including a reduction of CO2 deposition onto the north- ern polar cap during winter, a weakening of a diurnal tide, an increase in H2O density in the middle atmosphere, and possibly an enhancement of the hydrogen corona. Now these circulations are also responsible for the transport of aerosols and the mobilization of dust from the surface to form aerosols, thus completing a feedback loop. The study of these aerosols can provide insights into the role of aerosols and the other processes they control or controlling them in this feedback system.

Domains: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP]

Daniel Y. Lo, Roger V. Yelle, Nicholas M. Schneider, Sonal K. Jain, A. Ian F. Stewart, et al.. Twilight Limb Observations of Aerosols in the Martian Atmosphere by MAVEN IUVS. LPSC2016 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Mar 2016, The Woodlands, TX, United States. pp.2603. ⟨insu-01286510⟩