Planetary Atmospheric Physics Group

Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) are electrons, protons, and heavy ions of few keV to few GeV emitted during solar flares and coronal mass ejections, and when they propagate through interplanetary space and land in planetary atmospheres, they cause ionization, dissociation, and heating of atmospheric molecules. When a large SEP event occurs, NOx and HOx increase on Earth due to the dissociation of oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the polar regions, and it is reported that ozone decreases by about 50%. In contrast to Earth, where the effects of SEPs on the atmosphere have been well studied both observationally and theoretically, the effects of SEPs on the Martian atmosphere have not yet been studied in detail both observationally and theoretically. I am aiming to elucidate the effects of SEPs on the Martian atmosphere by combining two numerical simulations (particle transport model and photochemical model) that I have developed.