SPRG Seminars
February 9, 2010:
" Space Weather Influences on the Atmospheres of Unmagnetized Planets (Mostly Mars) "
David Brain, University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory
While other mechanisms provide more constant sources of energy, solar energetic particle events may significantly affect a planetary atmosphere for periods of hours or days, influencing atmospheric structure, dynamics, and chemistry. This is particularly true at planets lacking a global magnetic field to shield them from energetic charged particles, such as Venus, Mars, and unmagnetized exoplanets. I will discuss recent observations and simple models of the influences of space weather on the plasma environments and atmospheres of unmagnetized planets (mostly Mars).