SPICAM observations of thermospheric airglow during the 2007 dust storm

N. Schneider (1) , M. Chaffin (1) , D. Everding (1) , François Leblanc (2) , Jean-Yves Chaufray (2) , Franck Montmessin (3) , Jean-Loup Bertaux (3)

1 LASP - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics [Boulder]
2 HELIOS - LATMOS
3 PLANETO - LATMOS

In 2007 (Mars Year 28), Mars experienced a global dust storm. Previous studies have reported large changes in the H Lyman alpha coronal airglow during this period, corresponding to a large decrease in H escape fluxes during the declining phase of the dust storm. Here we present airglow measurements of CO Cameron band and CO⁺₂ UV Doublet emission in the thermosphere from 2007 data gathered by the SPI-CAM (SPectroscopy for the Investigation of the Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Mars) instrument on Mars Express. During the dust storm period in late 2007, lower atmospheric temperatures were enhanced, pushing the thermosphere to higher altitudes. At the same time, more intense UV heating resulting from the perihelion passage of Mars resulted in extended upper atmospheric scale heights. We compare our retrievals and techniques to previous studies, which found no enhancement in thermospheric scale heights during this period.

Domaines: Physique Atmosphérique et Océanique [physics.ao-ph]; Planète et Univers [physics]

N. Schneider, M. Chaffin, D. Everding, François Leblanc, Jean-Yves Chaufray, et al.. SPICAM observations of thermospheric airglow during the 2007 dust storm. European Planetary Science Congress 2017, Sep 2017, Riga, Latvia. pp. EPSC2017-376-1. ⟨insu-01665724⟩