Mariner 9 ultraviolet spectrometer experiment: Structure of Mars' upper atmosphere

Comparative terrestrial planet thermospheres: 2. Solar cycle variation of global structure and winds at equinox

“…Mars upper atmosphere data strongly suggest that dust storms originating in the lower atmosphere, and the concomitant aerosol heating, have a profound effect on the Martian thermospheric densities and overall structure. Upward propagating gravity waves, planetary waves, and tides may all be partially responsible fox' the lower thermospheric variations observed [e.g., Stewart et al, 1972, 1992' Bougher et al, 1997a …”

The Mars thermosphere-ionosphere: Predictions for the arrival of Planet-B

“…Nightside thermospheric observations are presently lacking. Solar forcing, although usually dominant, is not always the primary driver of the current Mars upper atmosphere (Stewart et al, 1972Bougher et al, 1993). Available data suggest a significant forcing of the thermosphere from below as a result of upward propagating gravity waves and/or tides.…”

“…to wave processes operating during the 1971-72 global dust storm (Stewart et al, 1972. The interaction of these gravity waves/tides with the EUV-UV solar-driven Mars thermospheric structure and dynamics is important to quantify in order to accurately assess the present behavior of the Martian thermosphere (Bougher et al, 1993(Bougher et al, , 1997.…”

“…Also, several airglow measurements by various spacecraft (Mariner 6,7,9) and descent probe density profiles (Viking 1 and 2, Mars Pathfinder) provide scale heights and inferred temperatures for constraining MTGCM simulations (e.g. Stewart et al, 1972;Nier and McElroy, 1977;Seiff and Kirk, 1977;Barth et al, 1992;Schofield et al, 1997). Solar cycle, seasonal, and orbital behavior of the Mars upper atmosphere has been predicted using this MTGCM model.…”

The atmosphere of Mars

“…The spectrum of the emissions of the upper atmosphere above the day limb of the planet (dayglow) was studied in detail in the region 1100-3400A in ultraviolet spectrometer experiments on Mariners-6, 7 and 9 (Barth et al, 1969;Anderson and Hord, 1971 ;Stewart et al, 1972). The narrow-band photometric measurements in the resonance lines of hydrogen L~ 2 1215/k and the oxygen triplet 2 1304~k were provided by the Mars-3 orbiter (Dementyeva et al, 1972;Kurt et al, 1973Kurt et al, , 1974.…”