Search

Understanding the properties and variability of the ionosphere is vital for understanding the atmosphere of Mars. The presence and property of waves provide insight into the plasma and magnetic environment. We conducted a search for 5 - 16 Hz signals below 400 km in magnetic field data from Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN), and Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) missions. We discuss an analysis of 54 identified MAVEN events using multiple instruments and present a case study event. Nearly half the wave events occur near the cusps of strong crustal magnetic fields (CMFs). The stronger regions have fewer events and may be a result of stronger CMFs preventing draped field lines from reaching lower altitudes. A majority of the observed magnetic waves occur on the nightside, are associated with greater fluxes of electrons traveling downward along the local magnetic field compared to those traveling upward, and correspond to increases in thermal plasma density. These aspects indicate electron precipitation was present during these wave events. We conclude that these waves are observed under magnetic field conditions favorable for the penetration of electrons and waves into the lower ionosphere, but that the electron precipitation cannot solely account for the waves or plasma changes.We then discuss our null results regarding Schumann resonances, which are electromagnetic signals generated by lightning that, if they exist on Mars, are expected to propagate at 7-14 Hz. Future studies specifically looking for Schumann resonances will require higher sensitivity instruments and would benefit from additional missions that reach into the ionosphere of Mars. Finally, we comment on the inconsistency between identifying MGS events purely via by-eye analysis versus using quantitative methods for guidance.

Our solar system has evolved through accretion of dust and gas as the Sun and its protective magnetic bubble – “the heliosphere” - have plowed through interstellar space on its journey through the galaxy. Over the course of its evolution, the solar system has encountered dramatically different interstellar properties resulting in a severely compressed heliosphere with periods of full exposures of interstellar gas, plasma, dust and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) that all have helped shaped the system we live in today. Our current knowledge lacks the direct measurements necessary to understand how our star upholds its vast heliosphere and its potentially game-changing role in the evolution of our galactic home.Voyager 1 and 2 are now in the Very Local Interstellar Medium (VLISM), where they are expected to operate until the mid-2030’s having uncovered many unexpected discoveries and mysteries. After its paradigm-shifting discoveries at Pluto and Arrokoth, New Horizons is currently the only spacecraft in the outer heliosphere and is following the same heliospheric longitude as Voyager 2, but in the ecliptic plane – a trajectory that intersects the IBEX ribbon. It is projected to operate across the heliospheric termination shock and possible the heliopause with new measurements that will shed light on many of the mysteries of our heliosphere. Now passing 55 au, New Horizons is uniquely positioned to investigate the evolution of the solar wind, energetic particles, GCRs, and, in particular interstellar Pick-Up Ions (PUIs) that Voyager was not equipped to measure, to help constrain the structure and dynamics of the heliosphere. Observations of GCRs offers an opportunity to understand how these scatter strongly in the wavy structure of the “ballerina skirt” of the solar magnetic field leading to the strong modulation as part of the overall heliospheric shielding.As New Horizons continues to travel outward, dust measurements may reveal an interstellar component that will provide the strongest constraint to date on how interstellar dust grains interact with the heliosphere. Now beyond the infrared and UV haze of the circumsolar dust and hydrogen gas, the Alice UV camera holds promise to search for signatures of the hydrogen wall and perhaps even signatures of our neighboring interstellar clouds.New Horizons continues to break new ground in understanding the formation of our solar system by revealing the properties of multiple distant Kuiper Belt Objects and provide critical constraints on the structure of the Sun’s enormous dust disk. Because of its distant position, New Horizons is also providing the unprecedented estimates of the cosmic background.In this presentation we provide an overview of New Horizons’ heliophysics observations in the context of the exploration by Voyager, IBEX, and IMAP. We conclude by providing a status of the future Interstellar Probe mission concept that is now under consideration in the Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey.

Our comparisons of the single particle scattering behavior of terrestrial snows and icy satellite regoliths to the laboratory particle scattering measurements of McGuire and Hapke demonstrate that the differences between icy satellite regoliths and their terrestrial counterparts are due to particle structures and textures. Terrestrial snow particle structures define a region in the single particle scattering function parameter space separate from the regions defined by the McGuire and Hapke artificial laboratory particles. The particle structures and textures of the grains composing icy satellites regoliths are not simple or uniform but consist of a variety of particle structure and texture types, some of which may be a combination of the particle types investigated by McGuire and Hapke.

Re-analysis of the solar phase curves of the icy Galilean satellites demonstrates that the quantitative results are dependent on the single particle scattering function incorporated into the photometric model; however, the qualitative properties are independent. The results presented here show that the general physical characteristics predicted by a Hapke model (B. Hapke, 1986, Icarus 67, 264–280) incorporating a two parameter double Henyey–Greenstein scattering function are similar to the predictions given by the same model incorporating a three parameter double Henyey–Greenstein scattering function as long as the data set being modeled has adequate coverage in phase angle. Conflicting results occur when the large phase angle coverage is inadequate. Analysis of the role of isotropic versus anisotropic multiple scattering shows that for surfaces as bright as Europa the two models predict very similar results over phase angles covered by the data. Differences arise only at those phase angles for which there are no data. The single particle scattering behavior between the leading and trailing hemispheres of Europa and Ganymede is commensurate with magnetospheric alterations of their surfaces. Ion bombardment will produce more forward scattering single scattering functions due to annealing of potential scattering centers within regolith particles (N. J. Sack et al., 1992, Icarus 100, 534–540). Both leading and trailing hemispheres of Europa are consistent with a high porosity model and commensurate with a frost surface. There are no strong differences in predicted porosity between the two hemispheres of Callisto, both are consistent with model porosities midway between that deduced for Europa and the Moon. Surface roughness model estimates predict that surface roughness increases with satellite distance from Jupiter, with lunar surface roughness values falling midway between those measured for Ganymede and Callisto. There is no obvious variation in predicted surface roughness with hemisphere for any of the Galilean satellites.

In 1985 IAU Commission 20 adopted a two-parameter magnitude system for asteroids (Marsden, B. G. 1986, Minor Planet Circulars 10193 and 10194; Bowell, E., et al. 1989, in Asteroids II (R. P. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. S. Matthews, Eds.), pp. 524-556, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson) based upon the application of the Lumme-Bowell photometric model (Lumme, K., and E. Bowell 1981, Astron. J. 86, 1694-1704) to asteroid phase curves. The Hapke photometric theory (Hapke, B. 1986, Icarus 67, 264-280) has been applied extensively to spacecraft and telescopic observations of a multitude of objects throughout the Solar System to derive their physical and optical surface characteristics. We have derived a conversion from the Lumme-Bowell-based parameters to those used in the Hapke photometric model to facilitate comparison of asteroid regoliths to those found elsewhere in the Solar System.

We have supplemented Voyager imaging data from Enceladus (limited to phase angles of 13 deg-43 deg) with recent Earth-based CCD observations to obtain an improved determination of the Bond albedo, to construct an albedo map of the satellite, and to constrain parameters in Hapke's (1986) photometric equation. A major result is evidence of regional variations in the physical properties of Enceladus' surface. The average global photometric properties are described by single scattering albedo omega(sub 0) average = 0.998 +/- 0.001, macroscopic roughness parameter theta average = 6 +/- 1 deg, and Henyey-Greenstein asymmetry parameter g = -0.399 +/- 0.005. The value of theta average is smaller than the 14 deg found by fitting whole-disk data, which include all terrains on Enceladus. The opposition surge amplitude B(sub 0) = 0.21 +/- 0.07 and regolith compaction parameter h = 0.014 +/- 0.02 are loosely constrained by the scarcity of and uncertainty in near-opposition observations. From the solar phase curve we determine the geometric albedo of Enceladus p(sub v) = 0.99 +/- 0.06 and phase integral q = 0.92 +/- 0.05, which corresponds to a spherical albedo A = p(sub v)q = 0.91 +/- 0.1. Since the spectrum of Enceladus is fairly flat, we can approximate the Bond albedo A(sub B) with the spherical albedo. Our photometric analysis is summarized in terms of an albedo map which generally reproduces the satellite's observed lightcurve and indicates that normal reflectances range from 0.9 on the leading hemisphere to 1.4 on the trailing one. The albedo map also revels an albedo variation of 15% from longitudes 170 deg to 200 deg, corresponding to the boundary between the leading and trailing hemispheres.

The backscattering phase function asssociated with bright icy satellites may render Hapke's (1986) isotropic approximation to multiple scattering inadequate. A reanalysis is accordingly conducted here of the Voyager observations of Mimas, using a modification to Hapke's equation that accommodates anisotropic multiple scattering, in order to characterize the physical and photometric properties of the heavily cratered icy surface. The roughness parameter of Mimas is in this way redefined, and an accurate albedo map is obtained which deminstrates small latitudinal and longitudinal albedo variations.

The Hapke (1986) equation is presently fit to ascertain the single-scattering albedo of the icy satellites of Uranus and Neptune and the one-term Henyey-Greenstein particle-phase function g for each of the Middleton and Mungall (1952) goniophotometric data samples. There emerge both very high single-scattering albedos and strongly forward-scattering particle phase functions; while these are in keeping with Mie theory-based theoretical considerations, they contrast with the observed backscattering behavior of icy satellites. It is suggested the icy satellite frost grains are aggregated into particles of complex texture, which produce the unusual backscattering behavior.

Two extreme models are presented of how frost and ice might be intermixed on a typical satellite surface: areal and intimate mixing. Applying such models to selected representative satellite data, it is found that the frost component of the surfaces of these outer satellites must itself be backscattering, unlike its terrestrial counterpart. The difference may arise because frost particles can have much more complex internal textures under the low-temperature and low-gravity conditions of the outer satellites than is the case on earth.

Hapke's photometric model has been combined with a plane-parallel thin atmospheric haze model to describe Voyager whole-disk observations of Triton, in the violet (0.41 microm), blue (0.48 microm), and green (0.56 microm) wavelength bands, in order to obtain estimates of Triton's geometric albedo, phase integral, and Bond albedo. Phase angle coverage in these filters ranging from approximately 12 degrees to 159 degrees was obtained by combining narrow- and wide-angle camera images. An upturn in the data at the highest phase angles observed can be explained by including scattering in a thin atmospheric haze layer with optical depths systematically decreasing with wavelength from approximately 0.06 in the violet to 0.03 for the green filter data. The geometric albedo, phase integral, and spherical albedo of Triton in each filter corresponding to our best fit Hapke parameters yield an estimated Bond albedo of 0.82 +/- 0.05. If the 14-microbar N(2) atmosphere detected by Voyager is in vapor equilibrium with the surface (therefore implying a surface temperature of 37.5 K), our Bond albedo implies a surface emissivity of 0.59 +/- 0.16.

The Voyager whole-disk observations of Triton at 0.41, 0.48, and 0.56 micron filter wavelengths are analyzed using a model which combines an improved version of Hapke's photometric equation with a thin atmospheric haze layer in the appropriate spherical geometry. The model is shown to describe accurately the phase curves over a range of phase angles and to agree with disk-resolved brightness scans along the photometric equator and mirror meridian. According to the model, the photometric parameters of Triton's regolith are reasonably typical of icy satellites, except for the extremely high (close to unity) single-scattering albedo.

The Hapke (1986) model has been well fitted to both full-disk and disk-resolved Voyager observations. The low phase angle data indicate a substantial opposition effect, and the Hapke analysis results show that while the regolith compaction parameter for Rhea is definitely larger than for Titania, it is comparable to that of the moon. Photometric differences other than albedo are noted between the leading and trailing hemispheres of the satellite. The albedo map of Rhea presented reproduces the observed lightcurve and demonstrates that no terrain or feature in the trailing hemisphere is as bright as any in the leading hemisphere. A quasi-circular low albedo region near the antiapex of motion is discovered.

An attempt is made to demonstrate, by means of Hapke's (1981) photometric function, that a simple and reliable method exists for the estimation of phase integrals from limited higher phase angle measurements. This method is a generalization of the approximation first proposed by Russell (1916) and more recently treated by Veverka (1971). It is shown that this generalization of Russell's law can employ observations anywhere in the range of phase angles from 40 to 90 deg; optimum estimates of q will be obtained if the data near 70 deg are obtainable.