On the Schumann resonance at Mars: day-night asymmetry and dust

Sergio Toledo-Redondo (1) , Alfonso Salinas (2) , Jorge Portí (3) , Olivier Witasse (4) , Sandy Cardnell (4) , Jesus Fornieles (2) , Gregorio Molina-Cuberos (5) , Grégoire Déprez (6) , Franck Montmessin (6)

1 ESAC - European Space Astronomy Centre
2 EFM - Department of Electromagnetism and Matter Physics [Granada]
3 Departamento de Fisica Aplicada [Granada]
4 ESTEC - European Space Research and Technology Centre
5 Department of Electromagnetism and Electronics [Murcia]
6 PLANETO - LATMOS

Schumann resonances are standing waves that are accommodated in the electromagnetic cavity formed between the planetary surface and the ionosphere. Their characteristics depend on the electromagnetic activity and properties of the planetary atmosphere. We show numerical simulations of the Martian electromagnetic cavity, accounting for the day - night asymmetry and different atmospheric dust conditions based on a photochemical model. We find that the resonances are better accommodated on the nightside, and the first resonance is expected to be 9 - 14 Hz, depending on the dust activity, with low quality factors (Q ≃ 2). This work serves as an input for future missions (e.g. Exomars) that will try to characterize in-situ the atmospheric electricity on Mars.

Domaines: Planète et Univers [physics]

Sergio Toledo-Redondo, Alfonso Salinas, Jorge Portí, Olivier Witasse, Sandy Cardnell, et al.. On the Schumann resonance at Mars: day-night asymmetry and dust. 19th EGU General Assembly, EGU 2017, Apr 2017, Venna, Austria. ⟨insu-01660392⟩