Carbon Ion Fluxes at Mars: First Results of Tailward Flows From MAVEN-STATIC

Characterizing C+ ions in the Martian ionosphere is important for understanding the history of the Martian atmosphere and surface due to its place in understanding carbon escape. Measuring minor ions, like C+, which are close in mass to major atmospheric ions, in this case O+, is difficult, requiring fitting algorithms and accurate background subtraction. Accurate measurement of these species is essential for understanding chemistry and transport in the ionosphere. In this paper, we use data from the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN SupraThermal And Thermal Ion Composition (MAVEN-STATIC) sensor to report the first C+ fluxes measured in the Martian magnetotail. We will describe a multistep method of background subtraction as well as fitting routines that are used to extract C+ fluxes from a 40-orbit subset of STATIC data. Our results show tailward fluxes in both optical shadow and the adjacent sunlit magnetotail at high altitudes (> $ > $3,000 km) and Mars-ward at low altitudes (< $< $2,000 km) in shadow. These local flux values are similar to estimates of neutral carbon fluxes from photochemical escape. However, total carbon loss comparisons will require a more comprehensive study of integrated C+ loss over a larger data set from the Martian magnetotail.

Automated summary

Characterizing C+ ions in the Martian ionosphere is crucial for understanding the history of the Martian atmosphere and surface, especially the carbon escape process. This study reports the first measurements of C+ fluxes in the Martian magnetotail using data from the MAVEN-STATIC sensor. The results reveal tailward and Mars-ward fluxes of C+ at different altitudes, providing insights into the chemistry and transport in the Martian ionosphere.