Atmospheric escape plays a critical role in shaping the long-term climate evolution of Mars.Among the various escape mechanisms,energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)generated through charge exchange between solar wind ions an...Atmospheric escape plays a critical role in shaping the long-term climate evolution of Mars.Among the various escape mechanisms,energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)generated through charge exchange between solar wind ions and exospheric neutrals serve as an important diagnostic for ion-neutral interactions and upper atmospheric loss.This study presents direct observations of hydrogen ENAs(H-ENAs)on the dayside of Mars by using the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)onboard China’s Tianwen-1 orbiter.By analyzing H-ENA data during a coronal mass ejection and a stream interaction region from December 29,2021,to January 1,2022,and comparing these data with MAVEN/SWIA(Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN/Solar Wind Ion Analyzer)solar wind measurements,we examine the temporal evolution of H-ENA flux and the associated sputtered escape of atmospheric constituents.The observed H-ENA velocity is consistent with upstream solar wind ions,and the H-ENA-to-ion intensity ratio is used to infer variations in exospheric density,revealing a delayed response to enhanced solar wind activity.Penetrating H-ENA intensities reach up to 5.3×10^(6)s^(−1) cm^(−2),with energy fluxes on the order of(0.5-8.1)×10^(−3) mW/m^(2).The estimated oxygen sputtered escape rate driven by penetrating H-ENAs ranges from 5.5×10^(23)s^(−1) to 5.2×10^(24)s^(−1),comparable to or exceeding previous estimates based on penetrating ions.The findings highlight the need for low-altitude H-ENA observations to better quantify their atmospheric interactions and refine our understanding of nonthermal escape processes at Mars.展开更多
The main objective of the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)aboard the Chinese Mars Exploration Mission(Tianwen-1)is to study the solar wind-Mars interaction by measuring the ions and energetic neutral atom...The main objective of the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)aboard the Chinese Mars Exploration Mission(Tianwen-1)is to study the solar wind-Mars interaction by measuring the ions and energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)near Mars.The MINPA integrates ion and ENA measurements into one sensor head,sharing the same electronics box.The MINPA utilizes a standard toroidal top-hat electrostatic analyzer(ESA)followed by a time of flight(TOF)unit to provide measurement of ions with energies from 2.8 eV to 25.9 keV and ENAs from 50 eV to 3 keV with a base time resolution of 4 seconds.Highly polished silicon single crystal substrates with an Al2O3 film coating are used to ionize the ENAs into positive ions.These ions can then be analyzed by the ESA and TOF,to determine the energy and masses of the ENAs.The MINPA provides a 360°×90°field of view(FOV)with 22.5°×5.4°angular resolution for ion measurement,and a 360°×9.7°FOV with 22.5°×9.7°angular resolution for ENA measurement.The TOF unit combines a-15 kV acceleration high voltage with ultra-thin carbon foils to resolve H+,He2+,He+,O+,O2+and CO2+for ion measurement and to resolve H and O(≥16 amu group)for ENA measurement.Here we present the design principle and describe our ground calibration of the MINPA.展开更多
The Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)is one of the three scientific instruments onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter to investigate the Martian space environment.During Tianwen-1’s transfer orbit to Mars,the MIN...The Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)is one of the three scientific instruments onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter to investigate the Martian space environment.During Tianwen-1’s transfer orbit to Mars,the MINPA was switched on to measure the solar wind ions.Here,we present the first results of the MINPA observations in the solar wind.During cruise,nearly half of the MINPA ion field-of-view(FOV)was blocked by the lander capsule;thus only the solar-wind ions with azimuthal speeds pointing towards the unblocked FOV sectors could be detected.We perform a detailed comparison of the MINPA’s solar wind observations with data from Earth-based missions when MINPA reached its count-rate peak,finding a general consistency of the ion moments between them.The blocking effect due to the lander is evaluated quantitatively under varying solar-wind velocity conditions.Despite the blocking effect,the MINPA’s solar wind measurements during the transfer orbit suggest a good performance.展开更多
The pitch angle distributions of ions and electrons can be affected by various processes;thus,they can serve as an important indicator of the physical mechanisms driving the dynamics of space plasmas.From observations...The pitch angle distributions of ions and electrons can be affected by various processes;thus,they can serve as an important indicator of the physical mechanisms driving the dynamics of space plasmas.From observations from the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter,we calculated the pitch angle distributions of protons in the Martian induced magnetosphere by using information from the magnetohydrodynamically simulated magnetic field,and we statistically analyzed the spatial occurrence pattern of different types of pitch angle distributions.Even though no symmetrical features were seen in the dataset,we found the dominance of the field-aligned distribution type over the energy range from 188 to 6232 eV.Maps of the occurrence rate showed the preferential presence of a trapped-like distribution at the lower altitudes of the surveyed nightside region.Although our results are more or less restricted by the adopted magnetic field,they indicate the complexity of the near-Mars proton pitch angle distributions and infer the possibility of wave–particle interactions in the Martian induced magnetosphere.展开更多
On the great journey to Mars,China’s first planetary exploration mission,the Tianwen-1 came within 26 million kilometers of Mars from 31 October 2020 to 25 January 2021 and was getting closer to its destination,the r...On the great journey to Mars,China’s first planetary exploration mission,the Tianwen-1 came within 26 million kilometers of Mars from 31 October 2020 to 25 January 2021 and was getting closer to its destination,the red planet,in search of answers to the cataclysmic climate change that occurred in Martian history.Both the escape of the Martian atmosphere and the loss of surface water were firmly influenced by solar activities.Tianwen-1 provided a unique chance to depict the solar wind streams between Earth and Mars during the minimum of Solar Cycle 25.During the three-month cruise phase of Tianwen-1,the solar wind flows were successively observed at Earth,Tianwen-1,and Mars.After the field of view correction and noise reduction,the solar wind velocity and density measured by Tianwen-1 show good agreement with those at Earth and Mars.The results indicate that the performance of the ion analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter is reliable and stable.It is worth looking forward to the joint observations of ion escape with other Mars probes in the following Martian years.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42188101, 42274211, 41974170, 42374184, 42122032, and 41974196)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. QYZDJSSW-JSC028, XDA15052500, XDA17010301, and XDB41000000)+3 种基金the CNSA (Grant No. D050103)the Specialized Research Fund for State Key Laboratories of Chinathe Specialized Research Fund for Laboratory of Geospace Environment of the University of Science and Technology of Chinasupported by the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) in Bern and Beijing through the ISSI/ISSI-BJ International Team Project titled “Understanding the Mars Space Environment Through Multi-Spacecraft Measurements” (ISSI Team Project No. 23-582 and ISSI-BJ Team Project No. 58)
文摘Atmospheric escape plays a critical role in shaping the long-term climate evolution of Mars.Among the various escape mechanisms,energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)generated through charge exchange between solar wind ions and exospheric neutrals serve as an important diagnostic for ion-neutral interactions and upper atmospheric loss.This study presents direct observations of hydrogen ENAs(H-ENAs)on the dayside of Mars by using the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)onboard China’s Tianwen-1 orbiter.By analyzing H-ENA data during a coronal mass ejection and a stream interaction region from December 29,2021,to January 1,2022,and comparing these data with MAVEN/SWIA(Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN/Solar Wind Ion Analyzer)solar wind measurements,we examine the temporal evolution of H-ENA flux and the associated sputtered escape of atmospheric constituents.The observed H-ENA velocity is consistent with upstream solar wind ions,and the H-ENA-to-ion intensity ratio is used to infer variations in exospheric density,revealing a delayed response to enhanced solar wind activity.Penetrating H-ENA intensities reach up to 5.3×10^(6)s^(−1) cm^(−2),with energy fluxes on the order of(0.5-8.1)×10^(−3) mW/m^(2).The estimated oxygen sputtered escape rate driven by penetrating H-ENAs ranges from 5.5×10^(23)s^(−1) to 5.2×10^(24)s^(−1),comparable to or exceeding previous estimates based on penetrating ions.The findings highlight the need for low-altitude H-ENA observations to better quantify their atmospheric interactions and refine our understanding of nonthermal escape processes at Mars.
基金funded by the Chinese National Space Administration.
文摘The main objective of the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)aboard the Chinese Mars Exploration Mission(Tianwen-1)is to study the solar wind-Mars interaction by measuring the ions and energetic neutral atoms(ENAs)near Mars.The MINPA integrates ion and ENA measurements into one sensor head,sharing the same electronics box.The MINPA utilizes a standard toroidal top-hat electrostatic analyzer(ESA)followed by a time of flight(TOF)unit to provide measurement of ions with energies from 2.8 eV to 25.9 keV and ENAs from 50 eV to 3 keV with a base time resolution of 4 seconds.Highly polished silicon single crystal substrates with an Al2O3 film coating are used to ionize the ENAs into positive ions.These ions can then be analyzed by the ESA and TOF,to determine the energy and masses of the ENAs.The MINPA provides a 360°×90°field of view(FOV)with 22.5°×5.4°angular resolution for ion measurement,and a 360°×9.7°FOV with 22.5°×9.7°angular resolution for ENA measurement.The TOF unit combines a-15 kV acceleration high voltage with ultra-thin carbon foils to resolve H+,He2+,He+,O+,O2+and CO2+for ion measurement and to resolve H and O(≥16 amu group)for ENA measurement.Here we present the design principle and describe our ground calibration of the MINPA.
基金supported by the Key Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant NO.ZDBS-SSW-TLC00103)Strategic Priority Research Program(B)of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB41000000)+3 种基金NNSFC Grant No.41974170 and 41974196Specialized Research Fund for State Key Laboratories of China,and Pandeng Program of National Space Science Center,Chinese Academy of Sciences.BBT(2019153),YTZ(2017186),WYL(2018177)LHX(2021144)were supported by the Youth Innovation Promotion Associationfunded by the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST.
文摘The Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer(MINPA)is one of the three scientific instruments onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter to investigate the Martian space environment.During Tianwen-1’s transfer orbit to Mars,the MINPA was switched on to measure the solar wind ions.Here,we present the first results of the MINPA observations in the solar wind.During cruise,nearly half of the MINPA ion field-of-view(FOV)was blocked by the lander capsule;thus only the solar-wind ions with azimuthal speeds pointing towards the unblocked FOV sectors could be detected.We perform a detailed comparison of the MINPA’s solar wind observations with data from Earth-based missions when MINPA reached its count-rate peak,finding a general consistency of the ion moments between them.The blocking effect due to the lander is evaluated quantitatively under varying solar-wind velocity conditions.Despite the blocking effect,the MINPA’s solar wind measurements during the transfer orbit suggest a good performance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42241143)the pre-research projects on Civil Aerospace Technologies(No.D020104)funded by the China National Space Administration.
文摘The pitch angle distributions of ions and electrons can be affected by various processes;thus,they can serve as an important indicator of the physical mechanisms driving the dynamics of space plasmas.From observations from the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter,we calculated the pitch angle distributions of protons in the Martian induced magnetosphere by using information from the magnetohydrodynamically simulated magnetic field,and we statistically analyzed the spatial occurrence pattern of different types of pitch angle distributions.Even though no symmetrical features were seen in the dataset,we found the dominance of the field-aligned distribution type over the energy range from 188 to 6232 eV.Maps of the occurrence rate showed the preferential presence of a trapped-like distribution at the lower altitudes of the surveyed nightside region.Although our results are more or less restricted by the adopted magnetic field,they indicate the complexity of the near-Mars proton pitch angle distributions and infer the possibility of wave–particle interactions in the Martian induced magnetosphere.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA17010201)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42074207,42104171)+3 种基金the Key Research Program of the Institute of Geology&Geophysics,CAS(Grant Nos.IGGCAS-201904,IGGCAS-202102)the Key Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.ZDBS-SSW-TLC00103)supported by the Thousand Young Talents Program of Chinasupported by the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS(Grant No.2021064)。
文摘On the great journey to Mars,China’s first planetary exploration mission,the Tianwen-1 came within 26 million kilometers of Mars from 31 October 2020 to 25 January 2021 and was getting closer to its destination,the red planet,in search of answers to the cataclysmic climate change that occurred in Martian history.Both the escape of the Martian atmosphere and the loss of surface water were firmly influenced by solar activities.Tianwen-1 provided a unique chance to depict the solar wind streams between Earth and Mars during the minimum of Solar Cycle 25.During the three-month cruise phase of Tianwen-1,the solar wind flows were successively observed at Earth,Tianwen-1,and Mars.After the field of view correction and noise reduction,the solar wind velocity and density measured by Tianwen-1 show good agreement with those at Earth and Mars.The results indicate that the performance of the ion analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter is reliable and stable.It is worth looking forward to the joint observations of ion escape with other Mars probes in the following Martian years.
