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Evidence for nonmigrating thermal tides in the Mars upper atmosphere from the Mars Global Surveyor Accelerometer Experiment
Author(s) -
Wilson R. John
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2001gl013975
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , atmosphere of mars , martian , atmosphere (unit) , atmospheric sciences , geology , atmospheric tide , atmospheric wave , geophysics , kelvin wave , mars landing , astrobiology , exploration of mars , meteorology , gravity wave , ionosphere , physics , wave propagation , thermosphere , climatology , quantum mechanics
Mars Global Surveyor Accelerometer Experiment density measurements indicate the presence of planetary‐scale wave structure in the Mars upper atmosphere (∼130 km). In particular, Phase 2 aerobraking observations reveal large amplitude zonal wave 2 and 3 variations in dayside density between ±60° latitude. These spatial variations (in a fixed local solar time reference) can be qualitatively reproduced by a Mars general circulation model and are identified as a manifestation of eastward propagating nonmigrating thermal tides with long vertical wavelengths. The simulated wave 2 variation is dominated by a diurnal period wave 1 Kelvin mode while the principal components of the simulated zonal wave 3 structure are a diurnal period wave 2 Kelvin mode and a wave 1 semidiurnal tide. The characterization of these waves is important for understanding the structure and variability of the martian atmosphere at aerobraking altitudes.