How to Use Atmosphere Escape: Mars 3D Explorer - Step by Step
Open the Atmosphere Escape: Mars 3D Explorer, drag the time slider from 4.5 billion years ago toward today, then trigger a solar storm to see the real MAVEN escape-rate spike.
Drag the time slider
Drag the time slider from the far left (about 4.5 billion years ago) toward the right (today) and watch the shield arc fade once it crosses the point where Mars's global magnetic field shut off, roughly 3.7 to 4.2 billion years ago.
Watch the atmosphere thin out
Watch the translucent atmosphere shell thin out and the cyan and violet solar-wind streams intensify as the slider nears today, once the magnetic shield is gone.
Trigger a solar storm
Near "today," click "Trigger a solar-storm (CME) event" to boost the streams and see the facts panel switch to the real MAVEN-measured 10-to-20-times escape-rate figure.
Read the facts panel
Read the facts panel for the era label, field status, escape rate, and - at today's setting - the real 75%/25% tail/polar ion split MAVEN measured.
Orbit and zoom
Drag on the scene to orbit the camera, and scroll or pinch to zoom in on the shield arc or the solar-wind streams.
Key figures on this explorer
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Present-day atmosphere loss rate | about 100 g/s |
| Escape-rate increase during a solar storm | 10 to 20 times higher |
| Tail-region share of today's escaping ions | about 75% |
| Polar-plume share of today's escaping ions | about 25% |
| Global magnetic field shutdown | roughly 3.7 to 4.2 billion years ago |
Next: see when to use this explorer or how it compares to the Planet Atmosphere Scale Heights explorer.
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