Global Aurora on Mars During the September 2017 Space Weather Event

N. M. Schneider; S. K. Jain; J. Deighan; C. R. Nasr; D. A. Brain; D. Larson; R. Lillis; Ali Rahmati; J. S. Halekas; C. O. Lee; M. S. Chaffin; A. Stiepen; M. Crismani; J. S. Evans; M. H. Stevens; D. Y. Lo; W. E. McClintock; A. I.F. Stewart; R. V. Yelle; J. T. Clarke; G. M. Holsclaw; F. Lefevre; F. Montmessin; B. M. Jakosky

doi:10.1029/2018GL077772

Global Aurora on Mars During the September 2017 Space Weather Event

N. M. Schneider, S. K. Jain, J. Deighan, C. R. Nasr, D. A. Brain, D. Larson, R. Lillis, Ali Rahmati, J. S. Halekas, C. O. Lee, M. S. Chaffin, A. Stiepen, M. Crismani, J. S. Evans, M. H. Stevens, D. Y. Lo, W. E. McClintock, A. I.F. Stewart, R. V. Yelle, J. T. ClarkeG. M. Holsclaw, F. Lefevre, F. Montmessin, B. M. Jakosky

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48 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the detection of bright aurora spanning Mars' nightside during the space weather event occurring in September 2017. The phenomenon was similar to diffuse aurora detected previously at Mars, but 25 times brighter and detectable over the entire visible nightside. The observations were made with the Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph, a remote sensing instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft orbiting Mars. Images show that the emission was brightest around the limb of the planet, with a fairly uniform faint glow against the disk itself. Spectra identified four molecular emissions associated with aurora, and limb scans show the emission originated from an altitude of ~60 km in the atmosphere. Both are consistent with very high energy particle precipitation. The auroral brightening peaked around 13 September, when the flux of solar energetic electrons and protons both peaked. During the declining phase of the event, faint but statistically significant auroral emissions briefly appeared against the disk of the planet in the form of narrow wisps and small patches. These features are approximately aligned with predicted open field lines in the region of strong crustal magnetic fields in Mars' southern hemisphere.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	7391-7398
Number of pages	8
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	45
Issue number	15
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077772
State	Published - Aug 16 2018

Keywords

Mars
aurora
emission
magnetic fields
space weather
ultraviolet

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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10.1029/2018GL077772

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Schneider, N. M., Jain, S. K., Deighan, J., Nasr, C. R., Brain, D. A., Larson, D., Lillis, R., Rahmati, A., Halekas, J. S., Lee, C. O., Chaffin, M. S., Stiepen, A., Crismani, M., Evans, J. S., Stevens, M. H., Lo, D. Y., McClintock, W. E., Stewart, A. I. F., Yelle, R. V., ... Jakosky, B. M. (2018). Global Aurora on Mars During the September 2017 Space Weather Event. Geophysical Research Letters, 45(15), 7391-7398. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077772

Schneider, NM, Jain, SK, Deighan, J, Nasr, CR, Brain, DA, Larson, D, Lillis, R, Rahmati, A, Halekas, JS, Lee, CO, Chaffin, MS, Stiepen, A, Crismani, M, Evans, JS, Stevens, MH, Lo, DY, McClintock, WE, Stewart, AIF, Yelle, RV, Clarke, JT, Holsclaw, GM, Lefevre, F, Montmessin, F & Jakosky, BM 2018, 'Global Aurora on Mars During the September 2017 Space Weather Event', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 45, no. 15, pp. 7391-7398. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077772

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abstract = "We report the detection of bright aurora spanning Mars' nightside during the space weather event occurring in September 2017. The phenomenon was similar to diffuse aurora detected previously at Mars, but 25 times brighter and detectable over the entire visible nightside. The observations were made with the Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph, a remote sensing instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft orbiting Mars. Images show that the emission was brightest around the limb of the planet, with a fairly uniform faint glow against the disk itself. Spectra identified four molecular emissions associated with aurora, and limb scans show the emission originated from an altitude of ~60 km in the atmosphere. Both are consistent with very high energy particle precipitation. The auroral brightening peaked around 13 September, when the flux of solar energetic electrons and protons both peaked. During the declining phase of the event, faint but statistically significant auroral emissions briefly appeared against the disk of the planet in the form of narrow wisps and small patches. These features are approximately aligned with predicted open field lines in the region of strong crustal magnetic fields in Mars' southern hemisphere.",

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AU - Jain, S. K.

AU - Deighan, J.

AU - Nasr, C. R.

AU - Brain, D. A.

AU - Larson, D.

AU - Lillis, R.

AU - Rahmati, Ali

AU - Halekas, J. S.

AU - Lee, C. O.

AU - Chaffin, M. S.

AU - Stiepen, A.

AU - Crismani, M.

AU - Evans, J. S.

AU - Stevens, M. H.

AU - Lo, D. Y.

AU - McClintock, W. E.

AU - Stewart, A. I.F.

AU - Yelle, R. V.

AU - Clarke, J. T.

AU - Holsclaw, G. M.

AU - Lefevre, F.

AU - Montmessin, F.

AU - Jakosky, B. M.

PY - 2018/8/16

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N2 - We report the detection of bright aurora spanning Mars' nightside during the space weather event occurring in September 2017. The phenomenon was similar to diffuse aurora detected previously at Mars, but 25 times brighter and detectable over the entire visible nightside. The observations were made with the Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph, a remote sensing instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft orbiting Mars. Images show that the emission was brightest around the limb of the planet, with a fairly uniform faint glow against the disk itself. Spectra identified four molecular emissions associated with aurora, and limb scans show the emission originated from an altitude of ~60 km in the atmosphere. Both are consistent with very high energy particle precipitation. The auroral brightening peaked around 13 September, when the flux of solar energetic electrons and protons both peaked. During the declining phase of the event, faint but statistically significant auroral emissions briefly appeared against the disk of the planet in the form of narrow wisps and small patches. These features are approximately aligned with predicted open field lines in the region of strong crustal magnetic fields in Mars' southern hemisphere.

AB - We report the detection of bright aurora spanning Mars' nightside during the space weather event occurring in September 2017. The phenomenon was similar to diffuse aurora detected previously at Mars, but 25 times brighter and detectable over the entire visible nightside. The observations were made with the Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph, a remote sensing instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft orbiting Mars. Images show that the emission was brightest around the limb of the planet, with a fairly uniform faint glow against the disk itself. Spectra identified four molecular emissions associated with aurora, and limb scans show the emission originated from an altitude of ~60 km in the atmosphere. Both are consistent with very high energy particle precipitation. The auroral brightening peaked around 13 September, when the flux of solar energetic electrons and protons both peaked. During the declining phase of the event, faint but statistically significant auroral emissions briefly appeared against the disk of the planet in the form of narrow wisps and small patches. These features are approximately aligned with predicted open field lines in the region of strong crustal magnetic fields in Mars' southern hemisphere.

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KW - emission

KW - magnetic fields

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Global Aurora on Mars During the September 2017 Space Weather Event

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