Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p54b..04h&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P54B-04
Physics
[3346] Atmospheric Processes / Planetary Meteorology, [5405] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Atmospheres, [5445] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Meteorology, [6225] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Mars
Scientific paper
During late autumn through early spring, Mars’ northern middle and high latitudes exhibit very strong equator-to-pole mean temperature contrasts (i.e., baroclinicity). From data collected during the Viking era and recent observations from both the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) missions, this strong baroclinicity supports vigorous large-scale eastward traveling weather systems (i.e., transient synoptic-period waves). These systems also have accompanying sub-synoptic scale ramifications on the atmospheric environment through cyclonic/anticyclonic winds, intense deformations and contractions/dilations in temperatures, and sharp perturbations amongst atmospheric tracers (e.g., dust and volatiles/condensates). Mars’ northern-hemisphere frontal waves can exhibit extended meridional structure, and appear to be active agents in the planet’s dust cycle. Their parenting cyclones tend to develop, travel eastward, and decay preferentially within certain geographic regions (i.e., storm zones). We adapt a version of the NASA Ames Mars general circulation model (GCM) at high horizontal resolution that includes the lifting, transport and sedimentation of radiatively-active dust to investigate the nature of cyclogenesis and frontal-wave circulations (both horizontally and vertically), and regional dust transport and concentration within the atmosphere. Near late winter and early spring (Ls ˜ 320-350°), high-resolution simulations indicate that the predominant dust lifting occurs through wind-stress lifting, in particular over the Tharsis highlands of the western hemisphere and to a lesser extent over the Arabia highlands of the eastern hemisphere. The former region also indicates considerable interaction with regards to upslope/downslope (i.e., nocturnal) flows and the synoptic/subsynoptic-scale circulations associated with cyclogenesis whereby dust can be readily “focused” within a frontal-wave disturbance and carried downstream both longitudinally and latitudinally. Measures of dust concentration at low-atmospheric levels (e.g. tracer mixing ratio) resemble the time evolution of frontal-wave dust activity seen in recent visible images from MGS/MOC and MRO/MARCI. Further, considerations of fundamental dynamical quantities indicate spatial/temporal correlations with regards to frontal-wave development, saturation and decay, and resultant dust transport and lifting activity.
Hollingsworth Jennifer
Kahre M.
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