Integration of Mars Global Surveyor Observations of the MY25 Planet-encircling Dust Storm on Mars: Implications for Atmospheric Modeling and Dynamics

Details Integration of Mars Global Surveyor Observations of the MY25 Planet-encircling Dust Storm on Mars: Implications for Atmospheric Modeling and Dynamics Integration of Mars Global Surveyor Observations of the MY25 Planet-encircling Dust Storm on Mars: Implications for Atmospheric Modeling and Dynamics

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.4506n&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #45.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1048

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We have synthesized all available Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) observations of the MY 25 (2001) global dust storm on Mars in order to better understand the underlying dynamics of storm initiation and expansion, and to develop a qualitative and quantitative description of storm evolution that may be used to constrain both estimates of horizontal dust distribution and modeling of storm growth. MGS data include Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) daily global weather maps, MOC dust (visible) optical depth measurements, TES measurements of atmospheric temperature and 9-μm dust opacity, and Mars Horizon Sensor Assembly (MHSA) measurements of middle atmosphere temperatures. Together these data allow for the juxtaposition of temperature and opacity fields with visual imagery to enable a more comprehensive assessment of storm development.
FFSM-filtered (Fast Fourier Synoptic Mapping) TES 3.7 hPa temperature data show the presence of transient baroclinic eddies in the longitude sector 0-60E at 60S with a period of about two sols. Combining these data with MOC visible storms has revealed a correlation between eastward propagating cold anomalies and the emergence/progression of storms along similar trajectories.
We hypothesize that constructive interference of these eddies with additional circulation components may have contributed to the periodic growth of local storms and the expansion into regional storms at Ls=184°.
Known limitations of TES observations result in significant spatial gaps in data, especially at high latitudes and in regions with very high dust opacity. We supplement MGS data with MGCM-derived opacity estimates that are interpolated from simulations with varied fixed opacities that yield brightness temperatures bracketing TES surface temperature observations. We have produced 2 gridded datasets (column optical depth evolution, and regions of active dust lifting), and are using these data as input into the NASA/NOAA Mars General Circulation Model (MGCM).

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