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The onset of the planet encircling dust event (PEDE-2018) started around 1 June 2018 as observed by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter/Mars Color Imager, peaking around 7-10 July and persisting through mid-October 2018. After the onset of the event, the upper atmosphere underwent significant changes in density and thermal structures. Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution-Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (MAVEN NGIMS) had a good opportunity to observe these changes from the first detection in the upper atmosphere and throughout the duration of the PEDE. The compositional changes included increased density at a constant altitude for CO2 and Ar, while the O decreased from the peak throughout the decay of the bulk of the PEDE.

Plain Language Summary From June through October 2018 Mars experienced a planet encircling dust event (PEDE-2018), a fairly rare event last observed in 2007. The dust storm grew from a local event to cover the entire planet and was opaque enough that so little sunlight reached the surface that the solar-powered opportunity rover ceased operations and all attempts to re-establish contact with it were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the orbiter Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) was able to observe changes in the upper atmosphere in the composition as a result of this globally extensive PEDE. MAVEN observed increases in both the CO2 and Ar while also observing an unexpected reduction in the O densities.