The ASPERA-3 particle instrument on board of Mars Express will study the following solar wind atmospheric interaction with planet Mars:

• instantaneous global distributions of plasma and neutral gas near the planet
• plasma induced atmospheric escape
• modification of the atmosphere through ion bombardment
• energy deposition from the solar wind to the ionosphere
• solar wind-Phobos interaction

• definition of the local characteristics of the main plasma regions

IWF cooperates with the ASPERA-3 team in the frame of its Mars Express Recognized Cooperating Laboratory

Further information is found at the ASPERA-3 website.