Mars ionosphere

The ionosphere of Mars (or the thermosphere ) is part of the upper atmosphere of Mars , strongly ionized by the action of solar short-wave radiation.

Of all the planets known to date, Mars is the most similar to our Earth , but in some ways they differ very much. In particular, they have completely different ionospheres . The Martian ionosphere extends from 110 to 130 km above the surface of the planet. In this zone, the high-energy particles of the solar wind collide with the rarefied gas molecules, knocking electrons out of their atomic orbits, resulting in a layer with an excess of free electrons. By the way, one of the most interesting discoveries of the Mars Express mission was the discovery of the active ionosphere not only above the daytime, but also above the night side of the planet, which solar particles cannot bombard in any way.

With the help of data obtained by the European space station, scientists were able to make the first detailed map of the distribution of electrons in the atmosphere from the night side of Mars. The map clearly shows areas with a dramatically increased electron density, and scientists have found some correlation between the distribution of these areas and the configuration of the planet’s magnetic field. Regions with a high electron density are associated with strongly magnetized areas, where the magnetic field lines are arranged perpendicular to the surface of the planet. Such areas are represented, in particular, to the south of the equator of Mars. On Earth, a similar situation is observed only in the region of two magnetic poles. The reasons for such a strange configuration of Martian magnetic fields are still unclear.