Effects of solar energetic particle events on the environment of mars - description of science goals and objectives the aim of this proposal is to assess the effects of solar energetic particle events…

This federal contract award was made by the Shared Services Center, a civilian agency, to Trustees of Boston University, a private university, to assess the effects of solar energetic particle events on the environment of Mars. The work will analyze datasets from various Mars orbiters and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft to characterize the relationship between solar energetic particle fluxes and properties of the Martian surface and atmosphere. The $307,592.47 grant-funded research project has a period of performance ending on March 18, 2024, and does not have a set-aside designation.

Effects of solar energetic particle events on the environment of mars - description of science goals and objectives the aim of this proposal is to assess the effects of solar energetic particle events on the environment of mars. We shall achieve this aim by analyzing several datasets that were collected during solar energetic particle events. These datasets are MEX marsis surface reflection measurements, MEX marsis and MRO sharad total electron content measurements, low-altitude electron density measurements from radio occultation experiment, and comprehensive maven thermosphere/ionosphere measurements. Solar energetic particle events will be identified and characterized using data from the maven SEP instrument and proxy measurements from count rates in the MGS ER, ODY GRS, and MEX aspera IMA instruments - methodology task a: investigate how proxy measurements of SEP fluxes are related to direct measurements of SEP fluxes indirect proxy measurements of SEP fluxes are available from the MGS ER, ODY GRS, and MEX aspera IMA instruments. We shall calibrate them against direct observations of the SEP energy spectrum by the maven SEP instrument. Task b: determine how properties of MEX marsis surface blackouts are related to properties of SEP events morgan ET AL. (2006) used 100 days of early MEX marsis data to show that the usual radar reflection from the surface of mars is attenuated below the detection limit during periods when proxy SEP measurements indicated the occurrence of SEP events. Here we will extend the work of morgan ET AL. (2006) by using more than 10 years of MEX marsis data. Throughout this period, proxy SEP measurements are available from count rates in the ODY GRS and MEX aspera IMA instruments. For the last 3 years, direct observations of solar energetic particles impinging on mars are available from the maven SEP instrument.