Tianwen-1 and MAVEN observations of Martian oxygen ion plumes

Abstract

There is a significant Martian ion escape channel called the “plume”. Due to the lack of multi-point, high-resolution field and particle detections, the energization mechanism and source region identification of ion plumes by in situ measurements remain unclear. China's first Mars exploration mission, Tianwen-1, provides us an opportunity to study ion escape owing to the high altitude of its apoapsis (∼3 RM, RM is Mars radius). In this study, we take advantage of the joint observations of Tianwen-1 and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) to study oxygen ion plumes. Our statistical results confirm the convection electric field acceleration as the energization mechanism of plume ions (up to >15 keV) in a more direct way than ever before. Our estimation suggests that most ion plumes originate from middle and low MSE (Mars Solar Electric) latitude of the northern dayside Martian ionosphere. This work improves our understanding of the pick-up process of the Martian escaping ions.