Physics – Geophysics
Scientific paper
Jun 1991
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1991pggp.rept..199c&link_type=abstract
In NASA, Washington, Reports of Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program, 1990 p 199-200 (SEE N92-10728 01-91)
Physics
Geophysics
Air Flow, Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Atmospheric Circulation, Atmospheric Models, Free Convection, Heat Transfer, Mars (Planet), Mars Atmosphere, Surface Layers, Surface Temperature, Water Vapor, Wind Velocity, Antarctic Regions, High Temperature, Ice, Latent Heat, Low Pressure, Plateaus, Substrates
Scientific paper
Researchers investigated the free convective regime for the Martian atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Researchers generalized Schumann's model describing horizontal fluctuations and mean vertical gradients occurring during free convection to include convection driven by water vapor gradients and to include the effects of circulation above both aerodynamically smooth and rough surfaces. Applying the model to Mars, researchers found that nearly all the resistance to sensible and latent heat transfer in the ABL occurs within the thin interfacial sublayer at the surface. Free convection is found to readily occur at low pressures and high temperatures when surface ice is present. At 7 mb, the ABL should freely convect whenever the mean windspeed at the top of the surface layer drops below about 2.5 m s(-1) and surface temperatures exceed 250 K. Mean horizontal fluctuations within the surface layer are found to be as high as 3 m (-1) for windspeed, 0.5 K for temperature, and 10 (-4) kg m (-3) for water vapor density. Airflow over surfaces similar to the Antarctic Polar Plateau was found to be aerodynamically smooth on Mars during free convection for all pressures between 6 and 1000 mb, while surfaces with zo approx. equals 1 cm are aerodynamically rough over this pressure range.
Clow Gary D.
Haberle Robert M.
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