Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates LLC

In Spite of Recent Progress in Diagnosing Waves in Mars Atmosphere There Are Many Unresolved Questions Regarding the Variability of These Global-scale Waves and Tides the Secondary Waves Generated by Their Interactions and the Impacts of the Entire Spectrum of These Waves on Mars' Upper Atmosphere in Relation to In-situ Solar Forcing. It Is Obvious That the Confluence of the Relatively Recent Observing Capabilities Given by the Mro and Maven Missions Holds the Promise to Significantly Advance Our Understanding and Quantification of the Vertical Coupling of Waves in Mars Upper Atmosphere. the Overall Objective of the Proposed Research Is to Quantify the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Neutral Densities in Mars Thermosphere (150-200 KM) and to Better Understand the Origins of This Variability in Terms of Waves Originating in Lower Atmosphere Regions and In-situ Solar Forcing. It Is Useful to Translate This Objective Into Three Basic Questions That We Seek to Answer as a Result of This Proposed Research. Q1: to What Degree Is Solar Irradiance Responsible for Short-term (<30-SOL) Neutral Density Variability in Mars Thermosphere (c.a. 150-200 KM) During Solar Quiet to Medium Conditions? Q2: How Prevalent Are Pw-tide and Ufkw-tide Interactions in Mars Thermosphere and What Added Latitude Longitude and Temporal Variability Do They Impose? Q3: Is There Evidence to Show That the Above Pw-tide and Ufkw-tide Interactions Originate in Mars Middle Atmosphere? Three Major Advances Provide Some Confidence That Answers to the Above Questions Can Be Achieved. First Concurrent Solar Irradiance and Composition (CO2 Ar N2 Co) Measurements From Maven S Extreme Ultra-violet Monitor (EUVM) and Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) Offer the Unprecedented Opportunity to Study Solar Forcing Effects on Mars Thermosphere Densities From the Same Observational Platform. Second the Proposed Pseudolongitude Spectral Analysis Method (see Section 4) Was Demonstrated to Be Successful at Identifying Nonlinear Wave-wave Interactions in Maven S Observations [gasperini Et Al. 2018]. Third as Noted in Section 1 Observations and Models Have Reached a Level of Sophistication and Agreement That We Have Some Reasonable Idea About the Global-scale Waves and Tidal Components That Are Responsible for Dynamically Coupling the 60-80 KM Region to the 150-200 KM Region. the Mro and Maven Data to Be Utilized Are Briefly Described in the Next Section. in Section 4 the Methodologies and Tasks Through Which We Plan to Use These Data to Answer Q1-Q3 Are Described Including the Expected Timeline. the Anticipated Outcomes Scientific Importance and Relevance to Nasa and Mdap Strategic Objectives of the Proposed Research Are Described in Section 5. Roles Qualifications and Responsibilities Are Discussed in Section 6.