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The annual cycle of pressure on Mars measured by Viking Landers 1 and 2
Author(s) -
Hess S. L.,
Ryan J. A.,
Tillman J. E.,
Henry R. M.,
Leovy C. B.
Publication year - 1980
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/gl007i003p00197
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , atmosphere of mars , martian , atmospheric sciences , storm , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , atmospheric circulation , atmospheric pressure , climatology , geology , dust storm , synoptic scale meteorology , meteorology , astrobiology , geography , physics , oceanography
Daily mean atmospheric pressures at the two Viking landers are presented for slightly more than a martian year. The seasonal variation of pressure owing to exchange of CO 2 with the polar caps is quite evident and contradicts, in part, earlier theoretical results. Day‐to‐day variations are the result of passage of synoptic‐scale high and low pressure systems and are an important clue to the general circulation of the atmosphere. The effects of global dust storms on the general circulation and on the diurnal variation of pressure are detected and interpreted.