Altitude profiles of O2 on Mars from SPICAM stellar occultations

B. R. Sandel; H. Gröller; R. V. Yelle; T. Koskinen; N. K. Lewis; J. L. Bertaux; F. Montmessin; E. Quémerais

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.01.004

Altitude profiles of O₂ on Mars from SPICAM stellar occultations

B. R. Sandel, H. Gröller, R. V. Yelle, T. Koskinen, N. K. Lewis, J. L. Bertaux, F. Montmessin, E. Quémerais

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

We determine the first altitude profiles of O₂ in the important photochemical region below 120km in the atmosphere of Mars by analyzing Mars Express/SPICAM ultraviolet observations of six occultations of stars by the atmosphere. Over the range of 90-130km the altitude-averaged mixing ratio of O₂ relative to the major constituent CO₂varies in space and time in the range of 3.1×10^-3-5.8×10^-3, with a mean value of 4.0×10^-3. This mean value exceeds by a factor of 3-4 those reported earlier for the lower atmosphere. However, some of the O₂ abundance and mixing ratio profiles determined here are similar to those measured by Viking in 1976 in the upper atmosphere.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	154-160
Number of pages	7
Journal	Icarus
Volume	252
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.01.004
State	Published - May 5 2015

Keywords

Aeronomy
Atmospheres, composition
Mars, atmosphere
Occultations
Ultraviolet observations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1016/j.icarus.2015.01.004

Cite this

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title = "Altitude profiles of O2 on Mars from SPICAM stellar occultations",

abstract = "We determine the first altitude profiles of O2 in the important photochemical region below 120km in the atmosphere of Mars by analyzing Mars Express/SPICAM ultraviolet observations of six occultations of stars by the atmosphere. Over the range of 90-130km the altitude-averaged mixing ratio of O2 relative to the major constituent CO2varies in space and time in the range of 3.1×10-3-5.8×10-3, with a mean value of 4.0×10-3. This mean value exceeds by a factor of 3-4 those reported earlier for the lower atmosphere. However, some of the O2 abundance and mixing ratio profiles determined here are similar to those measured by Viking in 1976 in the upper atmosphere.",

keywords = "Aeronomy, Atmospheres, composition, Mars, atmosphere, Occultations, Ultraviolet observations",

author = "Sandel, {B. R.} and H. Gr{\"o}ller and Yelle, {R. V.} and T. Koskinen and Lewis, {N. K.} and Bertaux, {J. L.} and F. Montmessin and E. Qu{\'e}merais",

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doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2015.01.004",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Altitude profiles of O2 on Mars from SPICAM stellar occultations

AU - Sandel, B. R.

AU - Gröller, H.

AU - Yelle, R. V.

AU - Koskinen, T.

AU - Lewis, N. K.

AU - Bertaux, J. L.

AU - Montmessin, F.

AU - Quémerais, E.

PY - 2015/5/5

Y1 - 2015/5/5

N2 - We determine the first altitude profiles of O2 in the important photochemical region below 120km in the atmosphere of Mars by analyzing Mars Express/SPICAM ultraviolet observations of six occultations of stars by the atmosphere. Over the range of 90-130km the altitude-averaged mixing ratio of O2 relative to the major constituent CO2varies in space and time in the range of 3.1×10-3-5.8×10-3, with a mean value of 4.0×10-3. This mean value exceeds by a factor of 3-4 those reported earlier for the lower atmosphere. However, some of the O2 abundance and mixing ratio profiles determined here are similar to those measured by Viking in 1976 in the upper atmosphere.

AB - We determine the first altitude profiles of O2 in the important photochemical region below 120km in the atmosphere of Mars by analyzing Mars Express/SPICAM ultraviolet observations of six occultations of stars by the atmosphere. Over the range of 90-130km the altitude-averaged mixing ratio of O2 relative to the major constituent CO2varies in space and time in the range of 3.1×10-3-5.8×10-3, with a mean value of 4.0×10-3. This mean value exceeds by a factor of 3-4 those reported earlier for the lower atmosphere. However, some of the O2 abundance and mixing ratio profiles determined here are similar to those measured by Viking in 1976 in the upper atmosphere.

KW - Aeronomy

KW - Atmospheres, composition

KW - Mars, atmosphere

KW - Occultations

KW - Ultraviolet observations

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