J. Parrott, B. Sánchez-Cano, H. Svedhem, O. Witasse, D. Meggi, C. Wilson, A. Cardesín-Moinelo, I. Muller-Wodarg
Abstract
Solar energetic events can have considerable effects on planetary ionospheres. However, the erratic nature of these solar energetic events make observations difficult. Here we show a mutual radio occultation observation, which serendipitously occurred just 10 minutes after a large solar flare impacted Mars. This resulted in the largest lower ionospheric layer ever recorded, where it was 278% its typical size. We used in-situ soft x-ray irradiance measurements to show a threefold increase in flux. This infers a different relation of soft X-ray to this layer's density than previously thought, with variations depending on the amount of spectrum 'hardening' leading to the increase of ionisation from secondaries.
Keywords
Physical Sciences / Astronomical and Space Sciences
Nature Communications
Volume 17, Number 2017
2026 March
