Search

Electron and magnetic field measurements from the Mars atmosphere and volatile environment (MAVEN) mission are utilized to study the interaction between Mars and the solar wind. Instruments like the solar wind electron analyzer (SWEA) aboard MAVEN measure properties of the electron environment over a broad range of electron energies. Measurements at low electron energies include contributions from spacecraft photoelectrons and secondary electrons that must be accounted for to accurately characterize the environment. We developed an algorithm to identify and remove secondary electron contamination to improve estimates of electron densities and temperature. We then compiled global maps of average electron density, temperature, and temperature anisotropy under different conditions, considering quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular bow shocks and upstream solar wind Alfven Mach number. Higher temperature anisotropy is observed for quasiperpendicular shock crossings, as expected. We find significant electron temperature anisotropy upstream of the bow shock for quasi-perpendicular shock crossings, suggesting a heating mechanism, such as that provided by electromagnetic waves. We analyzed the influence of hi and low Alfven Mach number conditions and found the electron plasma beta to be the only electron property significantly affected. We studied the relationship between the electron distribution function and the generation of instabilities and conclude that the upstream Alfven Mach number influences the stability of electron distributions in the Martian environment. Plain Language Summary Studying how the solar wind which flows from our sun interacts with Mars can give great insight into how Mars went from a warm, wet planet to a cold dry one over several billion years. An important part of this investigation is looking at the near-Mars space environment and how the solar wind traverses this environment to deposit energy into the upper Martian atmosphere. Electron properties often dictate the structure and variability of the planetary space environment. In this work, we utilize electron measurements from around Mars to understand how electron temperature and density affect this space environment. We also look at how unstable electron populations can transfer energy between particle populations and electromagnetic waves. However, instruments that measure electrons tend to have a significant amount of contamination in low energy measurement bins. Thus, a new algorithm is proposed to remove one source of contamination (secondary electrons from instrument and spacecraft surfaces), which leads to more accurate measurements of electron density and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]