Mars’ plasma system. Scientific potential of coordinated multipoint missions: “The next generation”

• DOI: 10.1007/s10686-021-09790-0
• Publication Date: 2021-11-13T08:02:51Z
• Authors: Beatriz Sánchez-Cano; Mark Lester; David J. Andrews; Hermann Opgenoorth; Robert Lillis; François Leblanc; Christopher M. Fo...; Xiaohua Fang; Oleg Vaisberg; Majd Mayyasi; Mika Holmberg; Jingnan Guo; Maria Hamrin; Christian Mazelle; Kerstin Peter; Martin Pätzold; Katerina Stergiop...; Charlotte Goetz; Vladimir Nikolaev...; Sergei Shuvalov; James A. Wild; Pierre-Louis Blelly; Michael Mendillo; Cesar Bertucci; Marco Cartacci; Roberto Orosei; Feng Chu; Andrew J. Kopf; Zachary Girazian; Michael T. Roman
• Keywords: Space Weather; Atmosphere of Mars; space science

The objective of this White Paper, submitted to ESA's Voyage 2050 call, is get a more holistic knowledge the dynamics Martian plasma system, from its surface up undisturbed solar wind outside induced magnetosphere. This can only be achieved with coordinated multi-point observations high temporal resolution as they have scientific potential track whole system (from small large scales), and constitute next generation exploration Mars analogous what happened at Earth few decades ago. Paper discusses key science questions that are still open how could addressed multipoint missions. main are: (i) How does driving impact magnetosphere ionosphere? (ii) What structure nature tail Mars' all scales? (iii) lower atmosphere couple upper atmosphere? (iv) Why should we permanent in-situ Space Weather monitor Mars? Each question devoted specific region, includes several objectives study in coming decades. In addition, two mission concepts also proposed based on constellation orbiting ground-based platforms, which focus understanding solving current gaps.