ABSTRACT

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since 21 September 2014 and collecting data in science mode since 16 November 2014. The science objectives of the MAVEN mission are to characterize the upper atmosphere and ionospheric structure and composition, the interactions of the sun and the solar wind with the planet, and the processes driving loss of gas from the atmosphere to space. Our goal is to understand the chain of processes leading to escape today, learn how to extrapolate back in time, and determine the integrated escape of atmosphere over Martian history. Measurements are being collected from all of the science instruments in our normal mapping orbit. Although instrument calibration and operations are still being refined, we have exciting first results that tell us about the current state of the upper atmosphere and escape to space. Results will be presented.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Jakosky is a Professor in the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and the Dept. of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and is Associate Director for Science at LASP. He has been at the University since 1982. His research interests are in the geology of planetary surfaces, the evolution of the Martian atmosphere and climate, the potential for life on Mars and elsewhere, and the philosophical and societal issues in astrobiology. He headed the University of Colorado’s team in the NASA Astrobiology Institute for more than ten years. He has published more than 120 papers in the refereed scientific literature, and has authored or co-authored a number of books, including “The Search for Life on Other Planets” and “Science, Society, and the Search for Life in the Universe”. Dr. Jakosky is the Principal Investigator of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, orbiting Mars since September 2014.