Three science questions will be addressed during this proposed study.what scattering processes control high altitude photoelectron pitch angle distributions at mars. What magnetic and scattering…

This is a $511,809 grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to the Regents of the University of Michigan to conduct research on electron scattering processes and their impact on the upper atmosphere of Mars. The grant is part of NASA's "Assessing Superthermal Electron Kinetic Processes in Near-Mars Space" program. The research will utilize three numerical models to address three key scientific questions related to photoelectron and solar wind electron precipitation and their influence on the Martian upper atmosphere. No set-aside designation was used for this award. The University of Michigan has a history of conducting research and providing services for federal agencies, including past prime and subcontract awards from the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Three science questions will be addressed during this proposed study.what scattering processes control high altitude photoelectron pitch angle distributions at mars. What magnetic and scattering processes control the precipitation of magnetosheath solar wind electrons into the upper atmosphere of mars. And, what is the local, regional, and global influence of long range transport of photoelectrons and precipitating solar wind electrons on the upper atmosphere of mars. The work will be conducted using three numerical models. The first and foremost for this project is a kinetic transport model that resolves the electron velocity space distribution along a magnetic field line, taking into account B field variations and time dependence. The second numerical tool to be employed is a magnetohydrodynamic model that simulates the global interaction of the solar wind with mars. Specific field lines will be extracted from the results of this code for use in the kinetic model. The third code to be used is global ionosphere thermosphere model, from which field aligned profiles of the upper atmospheric density structure will be extracted for use in the kinetic model. At the end of the project, electron heating rates from the kinetic model will be included in the upper atmospheric model to assess the relative role of this energy source at perturbing the upper atmosphere.