Abstract
A model of the positive and negative ion chemistry of the Martian ionosphere below 80 km is developed. It is shown that the principal positive ion species are expected to be O 2 +.CO 2, and H 3O + and its hydrates; the principal negative ions species are CO 3 −, CO 4 − and perhaps CO −. The model shows that the ionosphere of Mars above 25 km is quite insensitive to the concentrations of atomic oxygen and ozone, and to the values of those rate coefficients that have not yet been measured. Below 25 km, sufficient knowledge does not yet exist to construct a unique ionospheric model. It is concluded that Mars should have a very definite D-region and a permanent low-lying electron layer that becomes quite distinct at night.
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