Thermal tides in the Martian middle atmosphere as seen by the Mars Climate Sounder

  1. C. Lee1,
  2. W. G. Lawson1,
  3. M. I. Richardson1,
  4. N. G. Heavens1,
  5. A. Kleinböhl2,
  6. D. Banfield3,
  7. D. J. McCleese2,
  8. R. Zurek2,
  9. D. Kass2,
  10. J. T. Schofield2,
  11. C. B. Leovy4,
  12. F. W. Taylor5,
  13. A. D. Toigo3

Article first published online: 19 MAR 2009

DOI: 10.1029/2008JE003285

Issue

Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (1991–2012)

Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (1991–2012)

Additional Information

How to Cite

Lee, C., et al. (2009), Thermal tides in the Martian middle atmosphere as seen by the Mars Climate Sounder, J. Geophys. Res., 114, E03005, doi:10.1029/2008JE003285.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA

  2. 2

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA

  3. 3

    Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

  4. 4

    Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

  5. 5

    Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 MAR 2009
  2. Article first published online: 19 MAR 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 6 JAN 2009
  4. Manuscript Revised: 23 DEC 2008
  5. Manuscript Received: 23 OCT 2008

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Keywords:

  • MCS;
  • Mars;
  • tides

[1] The first systematic observations of the middle atmosphere of Mars (35–80km) with the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) show dramatic patterns of diurnal thermal variation, evident in retrievals of temperature and water ice opacity. At the time of writing, the data set of MCS limb retrievals is sufficient for spectral analysis within a limited range of latitudes and seasons. This analysis shows that these thermal variations are almost exclusively associated with a diurnal thermal tide. Using a Martian general circulation model to extend our analysis, we show that the diurnal thermal tide dominates these patterns for all latitudes and all seasons.

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