Wind measurements in Mars' middle atmosphere: IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometric CO observations
GUILLOTEAU, S.
Laboratoire d'astrodynamique, d'astrophysique et d'aéronomie de bordeaux [L3AB]
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de l'univers [OASU]
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux [Pessac] [LAB]
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Laboratoire d'astrodynamique, d'astrophysique et d'aéronomie de bordeaux [L3AB]
Observatoire aquitain des sciences de l'univers [OASU]
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux [Pessac] [LAB]
Language
en
Article de revue
This item was published in
Icarus. 2009, vol. 201, n° 2, p. 549-563
Elsevier
English Abstract
The IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer has been used to map the CO(1–0) rotational line in Mars' middle atmosphere. Absolute winds and thermal profiles were retrieved during the 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005 planet's oppositions. ...Read more >
The IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer has been used to map the CO(1–0) rotational line in Mars' middle atmosphere. Absolute winds and thermal profiles were retrieved during the 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005 planet's oppositions. The observations sampled various seasons (L=143, 196, 262, 317 and 322), and different dust situations (clear, global storm, regional storm). The absolute winds were derived by measuring directly the Doppler lineshifts. The main zonal circulation near 50 km is dominated by strong retrograde winds, with typical velocities of 70–170 m/s, strongly varying seasonally, latitudinally, and longitudinally (in particular between morning and evening). Comparison of the retrieved temperature with a general circulation model indicates that the model often underestimates the temperatures in the middle (20–50 km) atmosphere, and overestimates them above 50 km.Read less <
English Keywords
Mars
Atmosphere
dynamics
Origin
Hal imported