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A general circulation model simulation of the Martian polar warming
Author(s) -
Wilson R. John
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/96gl03814
Subject(s) - martian , advection , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , hadley cell , atmospheric circulation , atmosphere of mars , climatology , momentum (technical analysis) , mars exploration program , atmosphere (unit) , heat flux , general circulation model , meteorology , geology , heat transfer , mechanics , physics , climate change , astrobiology , oceanography , finance , economics , thermodynamics
This paper reports on a successful general circulation model simulation of a rapid warming phenomenon observed in the Martian winter polar atmosphere during global dust storm conditions. The model includes a self‐consistent simulation of the dust distribution which is forced with a prescribed surface source. The warming is shown to be largely a response to the development of a pole‐to‐pole solstitial Hadley circulation resulting from the greatly increased dust loading. A crucial aspect of the simulation is a sufficiently deep computational domain that allows for the full development of this circulation. These simulations indicate that the thermal tides play a contributing role by providing zonal momentum flux divergence at the winter pole and by the advection of aerosol.