Solar activity influences on planetary atmosphere evolution: Lessons from observations at Venus, Earth, and Mars

Abstract

AbstractThe Pioneer Venus and Venus Express missions, and the Mars Express and MAVEN missions, along with numerous Earth orbiters carrying space physics and aeronomy instruments, have utilized the increasing availability of space weather observations to provide better insight into the impacts of present-day solar activity on the atmospheres of terrestrial planets. Of most interest among these are the responses leading to escape of either ion or neutral constituents, potentially altering both the total atmospheric reservoirs and their composition. While debates continue regarding the role(s) of a planetary magnetic field in either decreasing or increasing these escape rates, observations have shown that enhancements can occur in both situations in response to solar activity-related changes. These generally involve increased energy inputs to the upper atmospheres, increases in ion production, and/or increases in escape channels, e.g. via interplanetary field penetration or planetary field ‘opening’. Problems arise when extrapolations of former loss rates are needed. While it is probably safe to suggest lower limits based simply on planet age multiplied by currently measured ion and neutral escape rates, the evolution of the Sun, including its activity, must be folded into these estimations. Poor knowledge of the history of solar activity, especially in terms of coronal mass ejections and solar wind properties, greatly compounds the uncertainties in related planetary atmosphere evolution calculations. Prospects for constraining their influences will depend on our ability to do a better job of solar activity history reconstruction.