Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik

EP 4: Mars I

EP 4.6: Talk

Monday, March 26, 2007, 15:15–15:30, H46

Ionisation of the Martian Atmosphere by huge Solar Energetic Particle Events — •Klaudia Herbst¹, Bernd Heber¹, Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber¹, and Laurent Desorgher² — ¹Institut fuer Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universitaet zu Kiel, Leibnizstraße 11, D-24118 Kiel — ²Physikalisches Institut Universitaet Bern, Sidlerstraße 5, CH-3012 Bern

Solar energetic particle (SEP) events are known to cause changes in the constituents of Earth's polar neutral middle atmosphere. During the past years several large events have been observed. Galactic cosmic rays on the other hand are known to be the principal agents of ionization in the Earth's atmosphere.

But what happens with the global radiation when such events reach other planets like Mars? In a few years the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), on board the Radiation Assessement Detector (RAD), will reach the Martian surface and will detect cosmic rays. Therefore it is important to know which ionisiation is expected.

The Simulationcode PLANETOCOSMICS allows to compute the cosmic ray-produced particle fluxes and the level of ionization at different altitudes and geographical (geomagnetic) locations.

Here the Martian ionisation-response for the solar particle of October 28th 2003 and January 20th 2005 will be presented.