Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2019

convener:Hideaki Miyamoto(University of Tokyo), Tomohiro Usui(Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology), Ayako Matsuoka(Research Division for Space Plasma, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), Sushil K Atreya(University of Michigan Ann Arbor)

In view of unprecedented advances in our understanding of Mars, primarily due to new and ongoing observations of the planet with a number of spacecraft missions of the US, Europe and Asia, we propose a session on Mars. Mars is an object of intense scrutiny. Currently, eight spacecraft are operating at Mars, with six in orbit (Odyssey, MRO, MAVEN, Mars Express, Mangalyaan and TGO) and two on the surface (MSL-Curiosity and MER-Opportunity), the largest number ever at any given time. In addition, InSight is on track to land on Mars in November 2018, and several spacecraft are in various stages of implementation with launches scheduled for 2020 (Mars 2020, ExoMars 2020, Emirates Mars Mission Hope, Chinese Mars Mission and the Japanese Mars Terahertz Microsatellite), 2022 (ISRO's Mangalyaan 2), and 2024 (JAXA's MMX mission to explore Phobos, Deimos, and Mars). All this is a clear demonstration of public's strong fascination with and commitment to Mars exploration and the resulting scientific bonanza. Synergistic investigations with ongoing and already completed missions along with modeling studies and earth-based observations are gradually revealing the nature of Earth's most closely resembling planet that took on a different evolutionary track than our home planet. Morphology and variable phenomena seen on the surface (RSLs, e.g.) and in the atmosphere (methane) indicate that Mars is possibly currently active. Available data are providing a better understanding of Mars' present geologic and atmospheric state, climate evolution, and habitability. Thus, the scope of this session will be the recent results from a broad spectrum of Mars studies encompassing the interior, surface, atmosphere, plasma environment, and the Mars system including its two satellites. Abstracts on modelling, instrumentation and future mission plans are also encouraged.