Mars' north polar hood as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder

Details Mars' north polar hood as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder Mars' north polar hood as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder

Mar 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011jgre..11603008b&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 116, Issue E3, CiteID E03008

Computer Science

Sound

1

Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Mars, Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Atmospheres (0343, 1060), Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Ices, Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Polar Regions, Atmospheric Processes: Clouds And Aerosols

Scientific paper

We have used observations from the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) to investigate the north polar hood (NPH) water ice clouds, including the first systematic examination of the vertical and nighttime structure. We show that the NPH clouds are present between LS = 150° (early autumn) and 30° (late spring) and that the clouds always extend to the pole. The daytime (1500 LMST) and nighttime (0300 LMST) clouds both have one layer that extends in altitude from 10 to 40 km above the surface, and the layer falls from its peak with a constant mixing ratio. We find that the cloud optical depth is controlled by the atmospheric thermal structure. The nighttime optical depth values are often higher than the daytime, sometimes due to tidally driven diurnal temperature differences and other times (i.e., LS = 240°-330°) a result of low temperatures associated with the polar vortex at night. We conclude that polar hood clouds are primarily controlled by the temperature structure and form at the water condensation level.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Mars' north polar hood as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder 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 Mars' north polar hood as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mars' north polar hood as observed by the Mars Climate Sounder will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-865785