Primary Convener:
Austin Egert, Orion Space Solutions

Convener:
Matthew Cooper, Orion Space Solutions
Jörg-Micha Jahn, Southwest Research Institute

Chair:
Austin Egert, Orion Space Solutions
Matthew Cooper, Orion Space Solutions

This session focuses on natural and artificial sources of heavy metals in the mesosphere and lower ionosphere altitudes using in-situ and ground-based measurement techniques. Along with the ongoing meteoritic metal deposition, the increase in satellite deployments and subsequent deorbit burnup introduces additional heavy metals and other constituents into the mesosphere and lower ionosphere. These changing densities could affect chemical processes, energy transfer and emissions, climate evolution, and other atmospheric dynamics. Factors revealed by this research may be necessary for accurate data analysis and future mission planning.

Index Terms
0340 Middle atmosphere: composition and chemistry
2419 Ion chemistry and composition
2447 Modeling and forecasting
2494 Instruments and techniques

Neighborhoods:
4. Beyond Earth