Mars plasma system response to ICME transients at different phases of the solar cycle

We assess the reaction of the full Martian plasma system after the impact of different Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICME) at Mars at different levels of solar activity and phases of the solar cycle 23/24. The Mars' plasma system behaviour is characterised from the surface of the planet to the bow shock position, which is the most external boundary where the solar wind directly interacts with the Martian system. Events at the extreme phases of the solar cycle will be given special attention, i.e. low and high solar activity periods, since variations in the maximum of the thermal pressure of the ionosphere are a key factor in order to create a significant/weak plasma obstacle to compete with the solar wind. The strength of this obstacle is ultimately controlled by the long-term EUV flux modulations. Likewise, the effect of such ICMEs on the plasma boundaries and induced magnetic fields within the ionosphere will be analysed in detail. The study uses data from TIMED, GOES and STEREOs observatories at 1 AU to monitor the solar irradiance and the propagation of such space weather transits. At Mars, long-term data come from Mars Express and Mars Odyssey missions since both spacecraft have been working from more than 12 years. The MAVEN and MSL missions provide supplementary data. Solar wind propagation modelling is used through the WSA-ENLIL+Cone model, as well as several numerical simulations of the ionosphere of Mars for such scenarios are made through the numerical/fluid TRANSMARS model.