Water vapor mixing ratios and air temperatures for three martian years from Curiosity

Savijärvi, Hannu; McConnochie, T. H.; Harri, A. M.; Paton, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.03.020

Cited by 23 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our findings of relative humidity values and daily cycle are consistent with the recalibrated Phoenix RH sensor data shown in Fischer et al (2018). The daily course of relative humidity and temperature changes are in good agreement with previous measurements , Savijärvi et al, 2019, Savijärvi et al, 2015, while the annual cycle is consistent with the daily maximum RH measurements of the first 1258 sols of the MSL mission (MY 31-33) (Martínez et al, 2017). The highest annual values occur around the early northern summer (Ls 90 • -Ls 120 • ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Annual and daily ideal periods for deliquescence at the landing site of InSight based on GCM model calculations

Pál

Keresztúri

2020

Icarus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Liquid water is one of the key elements in the search for possible life outside of the Earth and has a wide range of consequences on various chemical and geological processes. The InSight probe landed on Mars with a special equipment dedicated to examine geophysical characteristics and internal heat flow of the planet and some meteorological instruments also included in the payload. We examine the annual and daily variations of near-surface relative humidity and surface temperature calculated from the General Circulation Model (GCM) at Elysium Planitia, the landing site of InSight and search for possible ideal times for deliquescence. We inspect three different hygroscopic salts, but find that out of the three only calcium-perchlorate could liquify at the environment of InSight. We find that nighttime ideal periods could occur in a limited window between approximately Ls 90 • and 150 • at the late evening hours centered around 9 PM. In our daily studies we find no instances where the whole night could be ideal for deliquescence. This is mostly due to the temperatures dropping below eutectic level leading to a 0.5 -2 hour long presumed ideal period before midnight. On multiple occasions the temperature is just a few degrees below the necessary limit while relative humidity is high enough, therefore the precise temperature measurements of InSight could be critical in determining ideal periods for deliquescence.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Annual and daily ideal periods for deliquescence at the landing site of InSight based on GCM model calculations

Pál

Keresztúri

2020

Icarus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…By processing REMS measurements as explained above, and to help interpret results of the SEB shown in Section 4, we show in Figure 2 (Guzewich et al, 2019;Sánchez-Lavega et al, 2019); (c) the year-to-year decrease in surface pressure and air density at the same Ls as the Curiosity rover traversed toward higher elevations (Figures 2c and 2d); (d) the increase in water vapor VMR from about sol 1800 onward (MY 34, Ls ∼ 54°; Figure 2h), when the Curiosity rover started to climb Aeolis Mons (Savijärvi et al, 2019); and (e) the saturated conditions reached in the near-surface air in MY 35 at Ls ∼ 90°, which might have resulted in the formation of surface frost (Gough et al, 2020).…”

Section: Rems and Mastcam Observationsmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…By processing REMS measurements as explained above, and to help interpret results of the SEB shown in Section 4, we show in Figure 2 interannual and seasonal variations of the environmental conditions at Gale during the first 2500 sols of the MSL mission. The most striking aspects of Figure 2 are (a) the larger interannual variability of opacity, UV flux, and temperature during the perihelion (Ls = 180°-360°) compared to the aphelion season (Ls = 0°-180°); (b) the 2018/MY34 global dust storm (purple squares at Ls ∼ 195°) (Guzewich et al, 2019;Sánchez-Lavega et al, 2019); (c) the year-to-year decrease in surface pressure and air density at the same Ls as the Curiosity rover traversed toward higher elevations (Figures 2c and 2d); (d) the increase in water vapor VMR from about sol 1800 onward (MY 34, Ls ∼ 54°; Figure 2h), when the Curiosity rover started to climb Aeolis Mons (Savijärvi et al, 2019); and (e) the saturated conditions reached in the near-surface air in MY 35 at Ls ∼ 90°, which might have resulted in the formation of surface frost (Gough et al, 2020).…”

Section: Rems and Mastcam Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Surface Energy Budget at Gale Crater During the First 2500 Sols of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We use in situ environmental measurements by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission to obtain the surface energy budget (SEB) across Curiosity's traverse during the first 2500 sols of the mission. This includes values of the downwelling shortwave solar radiation, the upwelling solar radiation reflected by the surface, the downwelling longwave radiation from the atmosphere, the upwelling longwave radiation emitted by the surface, the sensible heat flux associated with turbulent motions, and the latent heat flux associated with water phase changes. We then analyze their temporal variation on different timescales and relate this to the mechanisms causing these variations. Through its Rover Environmental Monitoring Station, MSL allows for a more accurate determination of the SEB than its predecessors on Mars. Moreover, the unprecedented duration, cadence, and frequency of MSL environmental observations allow for analyses of the SEB from diurnal to interannual timescales. The results presented in this article can be used to evaluate the consistency with predictions from atmospheric numerical models, to validate aerosol radiative properties under a range of dust conditions, to understand the energy available for solar-powered missions, and to enable comparisons with measurements of the SEB by the Perseverance rover at Jezero crater.Plain Language Summary The primary energy input at the Martian surface is the solar radiation, which depends on the time of the day and season, geographical location (latitude and altitude), and atmospheric dust and gas abundances. Another energy input is the thermal atmospheric forcing, which depends on the vertical distribution of dust and water ice aerosols as well as CO 2 and H 2 O molecules. Together with the reflected solar radiation and the thermal radiation emitted by the surface, these four terms make up the net radiative forcing of the surface. In response to it, energy outputs as turbulent motions and water phase changes emerge to cool down/warm up the ground. The remaining energy is available to control the thermal environment in the surface and shallow subsurface through conduction into the soil. By using first-of-their-kind measurements from the Mars Science Laboratory mission, we calculate the energy inputs and outputs across Curiosity's traverse over the first 2500 Martian days of the mission. We then analyze their temporal variations and relate this to the mechanisms causing such variations. An accurate determination of the surface energy budget is key to preparing for the human exploration of Mars because it contributes to improvements in the predictive capabilities of numerical models.MARTÍNEZ ET AL.

show abstract

“…We used the Mars Climate Database (MCD) (Millour & Forget, 2018) to obtain values for

T_{normalsurf}

( z = 0),

T_{normaltropo}

( z = 100 km), and

T_{normalexo}

( z = 250 km) for different times of sol (local times 03:00, 09:00, 15:00, 21:00), Mars latitude (90°N, 45°N, 0°, 45°S, 90°S), and L s (90° and 270°), then compared the mean temperatures across each of these parameters with data from multiple missions to ensure consistency. The surface temperature was compared with the Curiosity Rover (Audouard et al, 2016; Savijärvi et al, 2019; Vasavada et al, 2016), Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) (Smith, 2004), and the Spirit/Opportunity Rovers' Mini‐TES (Smith et al, 2006); the exobase temperature was compared with Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) data from multiple instruments (Bougher et al, 2017; Stone et al, 2018; Thiemann et al, 2018). The mean temperatures formed the standard profile, shown in Figure 1a.…”

Section: Building Our 1d Photochemical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher Martian Atmospheric Temperatures at All Altitudes Increase the D/H Fractionation Factor and Water Loss

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The surface of Mars is marked with ample evidence of its wetter past. Today, water on Mars exists only in the polar caps, subsurface ice, and atmosphere, but geomorphological and geochemical evidence points to significant alteration of the surface by liquid water. The presence of compounds like jarosite and hematite indicate past pooling and evaporation (Klingelhöfer et al., 2004; Squyres et al., 2004), while substantial evidence of hydrated silicates supports the theory that ancient river deltas, lake beds, catastrophic flood channels, and dendritic valley networks were formed by water (Ehlmann & Edwards, 2014; M. H. Carr & Head, 2010, and references therein). Because the contemporary Martian climate cannot support liquid water on the surface, Mars must have once had a thicker and warmer atmosphere. The Mars science community generally agrees that the atmosphere has escaped over time, with a significant amount in the form of thermal escape of H, in which a fraction of H atoms are hot enough that their velocity exceeds the escape velocity. Because H is primarily found in water on Mars, this has effectively desiccated the planet (Jakosky et al., 2018).

show abstract

Water vapor mixing ratios and air temperatures for three martian years from Curiosity

Cited by 23 publications

References 24 publications

Annual and daily ideal periods for deliquescence at the landing site of InSight based on GCM model calculations

Annual and daily ideal periods for deliquescence at the landing site of InSight based on GCM model calculations

The Surface Energy Budget at Gale Crater During the First 2500 Sols of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission

Higher Martian Atmospheric Temperatures at All Altitudes Increase the D/H Fractionation Factor and Water Loss

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About