Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>We use Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution/Solar Energetic Particle (MAVEN/SEP) data to estimate the ranges of particle energies that generate background noise in the Analyzer of Space Plasmas and Energetic Atoms‐3/Ion Mass Analyzer (IMA) instrument on Mars Express. The particles that generate IMA background counts are estimated to be electrons with energies >1 MeV and protons >20 MeV. The September 2017 event at Mars resulted in the strongest flux of energetic particles measured by MAVEN/SEP. We correspondingly use the IMA background data to compare this event with the rest of the last solar cycle and back to 2004, finding the event to be the fourth strongest solar energetic particle event detected by Mars Express.</jats:p>