Role of solar X-ray flares and CME in the E region ionosphere of Mars: MGS observations

The relationship of the solar flare and the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) with the ionosphere is a key problem in all planetary atmospheres. Earth is the only planet where ground based observations can be used to study this relationship on a continuous basis. In this paper we have used radio occultation data obtained from Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) for the period of 12–18 May, 2005 to address the responses of X-ray flare and CME in Total Electron Content (TEC) of E region ionosphere of Mars during a violent solar event that occurred on 13th May. It was found that the TEC increased by factors of 6 in the E region ionosphere of Mars during this flare. The response of mass ejections from the Sunʹs corona is registered in the E region ionosphere of Mars after ∼38 h. Our results suggest that TEC can increase by factor of ∼3.5–4.5 during the arrival of CME on Mars. This increase in TEC can be attributed to ionization by energetic particles associated with magnetic storms. We report that shocked waves driven by CME compressed the magnetosheath of Mars by 15 km during the magnetic storms.