Effects of Martian Dust Storms on Ionospheric Peak Altitudes

Abstract

The effects of Martian dust storms on the atmosphere and ionosphere is one of the hot topics in Mars research. This paper reports on the effects of a local dust storm on the ionospheric peak altitude based on electron density profile observations from the Mars Global Surveyor Radio Science experiment during a dust storm event in late 2004. By employing a profile fitting technique, we determined the peak altitudes of both the M1 and M2 layers. A statistical analysis of different dust storm phases was conducted in conjunction with changes in atmospheric dust opacity. The results indicate that during the phase of rapid increase in global opacity, the peak altitudes of the two layers are elevated differently. After the opacity reaches saturation, the peak altitudes start to decrease slowly, with distinct decreasing trends for each layer. This suggests that dust storms exert different effects across various altitudes within the Martian ionosphere and atmosphere, which require the introduction of new physical processes for explanation. The discussion of the relationship between opacity and peak altitude contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics by which dust storms influence the Martian atmosphere and ionosphere, offering new insights for dust storm observation and future forecasting efforts.

Keywords

• Mars
• Aeronomy