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Significant vertical water transport by mountain‐induced circulations on Mars
Author(s) -
Michaels T. I.,
Colaprete A.,
Rafkin S. C. R.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2006gl026562
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , atmospheric sciences , aerosol , forcing (mathematics) , mesoscale meteorology , environmental science , atmosphere of mars , atmosphere (unit) , water vapor , atmospheric circulation , hydrostatic equilibrium , geology , climatology , meteorology , martian , astrobiology , physics , quantum mechanics
Using a 3‐D, non‐hydrostatic mesoscale Mars atmospheric model with detailed aerosol/cloud microphysics, we show that the formation of discrete afternoon clouds over the Olympus Mons volcano is due to the symbiosis of upslope thermal flow and a lee mountain wave circulation, and that these clouds exhibit complex particle distributions. Furthermore, we illustrate that this and other mountain‐induced circulations transport large quantities of dust, water vapor, and water ice aerosol from lower altitudes into the free atmosphere general circulation. Therefore, these circulations are an important part of Mars' net Hadley circulation and climatic forcing.