Measurements and Modeling of Clouds in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Mars

Details Measurements and Modeling of Clouds in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Mars Measurements and Modeling of Clouds in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Mars

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p54b..10w&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P54B-10

Physics

[5405] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Atmospheres, [5445] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Meteorology

Scientific paper

The lidar instrument on the Phoenix mission observed water ice clouds in the atmosphere of Mars that were similar to cirrus clouds on Earth. Fall streaks in the cloud structure traced the precipitation of ice crystals toward the ground. The water ice clouds were detected at the top of the PBL and near the ground each night in late summer after the air temperature started decreasing. The interpretation is that water vapor mixed upward by daytime turbulence and convection forms ice crystal clouds at night that precipitate back toward the surface. A model of the Mars Atmospheric Boundary Layer was used to calculate the temperature at the time of cloud formation and this was used to estimate the vertical profile of water vapour density. The model temperature and humidity profiles were used to initiate a microphysical model which simulates clouds that are very similar in structure to the observations. The ice crystals in the simulated clouds grow to a maximum dimension of tens to hundreds of microns, which results in significant precipitation.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Measurements and Modeling of Clouds in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Mars does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Measurements and Modeling of Clouds in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Mars, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Measurements and Modeling of Clouds in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer on Mars will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1774745