Dependence of the Martian radiation environment on atmospheric depth: Modeling and measurement
Open accessAbstract
The energetic particle environment on the Martian surface is influenced by solar and heliospheric modulation and changes in the local atmospheric pressure (or column depth). The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on board the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity on the surface of Mars has been measuring this effect for over four Earth years (about two Martian years). The anticorrelation between the recorded surface Galactic Cosmic Ray‐induced dose rates and pressure changes has been investigated by Rafkin et al. (2014) and the long‐term solar modulation has also been empirically analyzed and modeled by Guo et al. (2015). This paper employs the newly updated HZETRN2015 code to model the Martian atmospheric shielding effect on the accumulated dose rates and the change of this effect under different solar modulation and atmospheric conditions. The modeled results are compared with the most up‐to‐date (from 14 August 2012 to 29 June 2016) observations of the RAD instrument on the surface of Mars. Both model and measurements agree reasonably well and show the atmospheric shielding effect under weak solar modulation conditions and the decline of this effect as solar modulation becomes stronger. This result is important for better risk estimations of future human explorations to Mars under different heliospheric and Martian atmospheric conditions.
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At Gale Crater, atmospheric column depth variation changes the Martian surface dose and dose equivalent rate by about 10 to 20% between 15 and 25 g/cm2, depending on solar modulation.
“Calculation of the Martian radiation environment with different atmospheric depth shows that the dose and dose equivalent rate may change between 10 and 20% (depending on the solar modulation), when the atmospheric column mass is between 15 and 25 g/cm 2 (Guo et al. 2017a).”
From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2017a
The Modeling Setup (§2.1; page unavailable) uses Gale Crater surface column depths of 18.9–25.7 g/cm², not 15–25 g/cm². The Discussions and Conclusions (§4; page unavailable) report about 15% variation in dose rate and 19% in dose equivalent rate between pressure boundaries, while §2.4 says the depth effect varies with solar modulation. The copy does not establish a 10–20% change across the stated 15–25 g/cm² range for different solar-modulation conditions. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe underlying cause of the observed diurnal effect is fragmentation of heavy ions in the predominantly CO2 atmosphere; as atmospheric depth increases, a decreasing share of heavy ions survive transport to the surface intact.
“Data and models (Guo et al. 2017a;Zeitlin et al. 2019;Singleterry Jr et al. 2011) suggest that the underlying cause of the observed diurnal effect is the fragmentation of heavy ions in the predominantly CO 2 atmosphere; as atmospheric depth increases, a decreasing share of heavy ions (which make a disproportionately large contribution to dose) survive transport to the surface intact.”
From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2017a
Section 2.3 (page not supplied) says that heavier primary ions are shielded and fragment as atmospheric depth increases, and Section 2.1 identifies the modeled atmosphere as 95% CO₂. But the paper does not identify heavy-ion fragmentation as the underlying cause of the observed diurnal dose-rate effect. Its Conclusions instead attribute the dose–pressure anticorrelation chiefly to shielding of lower-energy primary cosmic rays. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCalculation of the Martian radiation environment with different atmospheric depth shows that dose and dose equivalent rate may change between 10 and 20% (depending on solar modulation), when atmospheric column mass is between 15 and 25 g/cm2.
“Calculation of the Martian radiation environment with different atmospheric depth shows that the dose and dose equivalent rate may change between 10 and 20% (depending on the solar modulation), when the atmospheric column mass is between 15 and 25 g/cm 2 (Guo et al. 2017a).”
From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2017a
The Discussions and Conclusions report changes of about 15% in dose rate and 19% in dose equivalent rate between two pressure boundaries. The Modeling Setup (§2.1) gives those surface column depths as 18.9–25.7 g/cm², not 15–25 g/cm²; §2.4 says the depth effect varies with solar modulation but does not establish a 10–20% range across modulation conditions. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe difference in fitted κ between the two periods is mainly due to the different phases of the solar cycle in these two periods.
“This is mainly due to the different phases of the solar cycle in these two periods (Guo et al. 2017a).”
From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2017a
Modeled results agree qualitatively well with the measurement, showing that the atmospheric shielding effect is more obvious under weaker solar modulation conditions, and predict that the diurnal effect would be depressed or even vanish as solar modulation becomes stronger.
“The modeled results agree qualitatively well with the measurement, showing that the atmospheric shielding effect is more obvious under weaker solar modulation conditions, and also predict that the diurnal effect would be depressed or even vanish as solar modulation becomes stronger.”
From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. (2017a)
During solar maximum, atmospheric modulation is weaker or may even vanish (in terms of its effect on dose rate) as suggested by model results.
“During solar maximum, the atmospheric modulation is weaker or may even vanish (in terms of its effect on dose rate) as suggested by model results (Guo et al. 2017a).”
From Radiation environment for future human exploration on the surface of Mars: the current understanding based on MSL/RAD dose measurements (2021) · cites this paper as Guo et al. 2017a
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Cites
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Guo, J., Slaba, T. C., Zeitlin, C., Wimmer‐Schweingruber, R. F., Badavi, F. F., Böhm, E., Böttcher, S., Brinza, D. E., Ehresmann, B., Hassler, D. M., Matthiä, D., & Rafkin, S.
- Affiliations
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (DE)
- Langley Research Center (US)
- Lockheed Martin (United States) (US)
- Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics Christian‐Albrechts‐Universität zu Kiel Kiel Germany
- Old Dominion University (US)
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (US)
- Southwest Research Institute (US)
- Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Guo, Jingnan
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Published
- 2017-02
- Volume
- 122
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 329-341
- ISSN
- 2169-9097 (ISSN-L)
- 2169-9100
- OpenAlex
- W2574707709
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2
- FWCI
- 2.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Geophysical Research Planets (publishedVersion)
- elib (German Aerospace Center) (acceptedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- ODU Digital Commons (Old Dominion University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, HEOMD) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (1273039)
- DLR DLR's Space Administration (50QM0501, 50QM1201)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Keywords
- atmospheric shielding, solar modulation, galactic cosmic rays, radiation dose rate, Radiation Assessment Detector, Curiosity rover, Mars surface
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