Betatron cooling of electrons in the Martian ionosphere

Electron dynamics plays a crucial role in the evolution of the Martian ionosphere. However, the adiabatic process, a classical mechanism for modulating electron energy and pitch-angle distributions, has not been reported in this environment. Utilizing data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, we present evidence of a decrease in electron perpendicular energy predominantly driven by betatron cooling in the Martian ionosphere. The phenomenon was identified within closed magnetic field lines at the edge of the crustal magnetic fields, a region characterized by a convoluted magnetic field topology comprising both closed and open lines. The observed cooling of 10–150 eV electrons with a power-law distribution, enhancing the cigar distribution, was quantitatively reproduced by an adiabatic model. Our study may promote the understanding of electron dynamics in the Martian ionosphere.