Physics
Scientific paper
Aug 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000mpse.conf....5b&link_type=abstract
International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration, p. 5
Physics
1
Atmospheric Circulation, Mars Atmosphere, Mars (Planet), Polar Regions, Atmospheric Composition, Mars Global Surveyor, Laser Altimeters, Topography, Mars Climate Orbiter, Spectrometers, Surface Reactions, Climate Models
Scientific paper
New data from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and a host of modeling investigations are significantly expanding our understanding of the current atmospheric circulation and climate of Mars. The determination of an accurate global topography by the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter (MOLA) Experiment and improved observations of surface thermal inertia and visual albedo by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) Experiment are extremely important for this progress, as are of course the TES and RS thermal and compositional data. The Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) imagery are providing an unprecedented visual view of various dynamic phenomena, especially in the polar regions. The current Mars atmospheric circulation is fundamentally similar in nature to that on the Earth, accounting for the absence of oceans. The latter simplifies the climate system considerably, particularly for variations on interannual time scales. However, the presence of two multiple-phase atmospheric constituents, water and carbon dioxide, is an added complexity, as is the presence of suspended dust that can dramatically alter the global atmospheric circulation on very short time scales. Our understanding of the current climate system points to key roles for carbon dioxide, water, and dust, with the interactions both in the atmosphere and on the surface between the three being very complex. The importance of surface-atmosphere interactions for these three species, along with the role of microphysical processes in the atmosphere, makes regional and small-scale processes potentially critical to the system. This makes the climate modeling challenge a formidable one, with modelers only just now beginning to attack the problems of fully-coupled dust, water, and carbon dioxide processes, and problems of smaller-scale circulation systems and processes. The latter may be especially crucial to understanding the polar regions. Various aspects of our present understanding of the atmospheric circulation and climate system of Mars and the polar regions will be discussed, with an emphasis on the new data and the new modeling efforts. Key problems, issues, and areas for future study will be highlighted.
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