[1] We report that radio science (RS) experiment onboard Mars Express (MEX) has observed three plasma layers in the nighttime ionosphere of Mars at altitudes~80-100 km, 120 km, and~160 km, which are reproduced by model calculation due to impact of meteoroid, solar wind proton, and electron, respectively.
We have developed a model which produces three plasma layers simultaneously due to the impact of the meteoroids, solar X-ray (0.5-9 nm), and EUV (9-102.6 nm) radiation at altitude range 75-85 km, 100-115 km, and 135-140 km, respectively, in the dayside ionosphere of Mars. The calculated results are compared with the radio occultation measurements made by Mars Express (
We have estimated (1) production rates, (2) ion and electron densities of meteor ablation and (3) ionization for different masses and velocities of meteoroids when comet C/2013 A1 crossed the orbit of Mars on 19 October, 2014 at 18:27 UT. Meteor ablations of small masses < 10 −4 g have created a broad layer between altitude~90 km and 110 km. The meteoroids of large masses ≥ 10 −4 g are burnt at around 60-90 km well below the main ionization peak at altitude~160 km produced in the nighttime by solar wind particle impact. The production rates and densities of 15 metallic ions (Mg
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