HR: 14:55h
AN: P33C-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Effects of the Martian crustal magnetic fields on the geographic distribution of energetic charged particles
AU: * Espley, J R
EM: Jared.Espley@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 695, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Connerney, J E
EM: Jack.Connerney@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 695, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Lillis, R J
EM: rlillis@ssl.berkeley.edu
AF: University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
AU: Acuna, M H
EM: Mario.Acuna@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 695, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AB: The strong crustal magnetic fields at Mars should affect the distribution of energetic charged particles (e.g., solar energetic particles and galactic cosmic rays) in the Martian atmosphere and across the Martian surface. We present preliminary results from our attempts to model these interactions. We discuss the computational framework used (based on the GEANT4 software toolkit) and the different model components necessary to track the propagation of the particles from interplanetary space down to below the Martian surface. We explore the impact of several significant parameters such as the distribution of the crustal magnetization (i.e., depth, thickness, coherence scale, magnetization strength and direction, including both strong and weak crustal field regions), the atmospheric conditions, and the solar activity level. Within this large parameter space, we present preliminary results and discuss the implications for robotic and human exploration of Mars.
DE: 2114 Energetic particles (7514)
DE: 5440 Magnetic fields and magnetism
DE: 6225 Mars
DE: 7514 Energetic particles (2114)
DE: 7984 Space radiation environment
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting