The influence of the Martian polar caps on the diurnal tide

The large horizontal heating gradients that exist near the edge of the Martian polar caps during spring are shown to be capable of exciting large oscillations in the diurnal tide. To a lesser extent, the daily mass cycling between cap and atmosphere can also contribute. The calculations which demonstrate this are based on classical tidal theory as applied to the cylindrical coordinate system. This is done to facilitate the representation of the heating function. Results are presented for the horizontal surface winds only. They indicate a circulation at the cap edge somewhat analogous to the smaller scale terrestrial sea breeze. The amplitude of the zonal component is largest and is increased from 1 to 10 m sec^?1 by the modeled influence of the polar cap. When coupled with the basic flow these cap-edge tides can produce strong surface winds during spring. Such a mechanism may contribute to the ability of the south polar cap winds to generate the local dust storms observed near the cap edge at this season.     

The Martian Hadley circulation: Comparison of “viscous” model predictions to observations

The predictions of an analytical steady thermally forced viscous model for the zonally averaged global circulation of the Martian atmosphere are compared to observations of atmospheric temperatures and eolian feature directions. The temperature of the winter polar atmosphere is a sensitive indicator of the value of the mean eddy diffusivity v of the atmosphere. For global dust storm season, the observed large warming of the atmosphere over the winter (north) pole during the 1977b storm as well as the distribution and azimuths of Type I(b) dust streaks can be well reproduced if v = 10⁷−10⁸cm²sec⁻¹. Observed northeasterly surface winds at high northern latitudes could be produced by plausible fluxes of CO₂ from the northern polar cap. The thermal structure at southern latitudes during this storm is satisfactorily produced, but a major discrepancy exists between observations and predictions of the temperature structure at middle northern latitudes. By comparing these results with those from previous inviscid models of the zonal mean circulation on Mars, we suggest v > 10⁷cm²sec⁻¹ at heights above 30 km and v ⪡ 10⁷cm²sec⁻¹ at lower altitudes may yield a meridional circulation which produces the dynamical warming necessary to account for the observed thermal structure at 0.6 mbar at all latitudes. For late southern summer when the dust content of the atmosphere has decreased to levels characteristic of much of the Martian year, the lack of dynamical warming of the winter pole implies v ≤ 10⁶cm²sec⁻¹. In addition, the predicted surface wind azimuths at this season agree well with the observed azimuths of Type I(d) dust streaks, which are observed to form at this season. The observed latitudinal concentration of the streaks is not explained by the model and may require additional processes which have not been included.     

The atmospheric circulation and dust activity in different orbital epochs on Mars

A general circulation model is used to evaluate changes to the circulation and dust transport in the martian atmosphere for a range of past orbital conditions. A dust transport scheme, including parameterized dust lifting, is incorporated within the model to enable passive or radiatively active dust transport. The focus is on changes which relate to surface features, as these may potentially be verified by observations. Obliquity variations have the largest impact, as they affect the latitudinal distribution of solar heating. At low obliquities permanent CO₂ ice caps form at both poles, lowering mean surface pressures. At higher obliquities, solar insolation peaks at higher summer latitudes near solstice, producing a stronger, broader meridional circulation and a larger seasonal CO₂ ice cap in winter. Near-surface winds associated with the main meridional circulation intensify and extend polewards, with changes in cap edge position also affecting the flow. Hence the model predicts significant changes in surface wind directions as well as magnitudes. Dust lifting by wind stress increases with obliquity as the meridional circulation and associated near-surface winds strengthen. If active dust transport is used, then lifting rates increase further in response to the larger atmospheric dust opacities (hence circulation) produced. Dust lifting by dust devils increases more gradually with obliquity, having a weaker link to the meridional circulation. The primary effect of varying eccentricity is to change the impact of varying the areocentric longitude of perihelion, l, which determines when the solar forcing is strongest. The atmospheric circulation is stronger when l aligns with solstice rather than equinox, and there is also a bias from the martian topography, resulting in the strongest circulations when perihelion is at northern winter solstice. Net dust accumulation depends on both lifting and deposition. Dust which has been well mixed within the atmosphere is deposited preferentially over high topography. For wind stress lifting, the combination produces peak net removal within western boundary currents and southern midlatitude bands, and net accumulation concentrated in Arabia and Tharsis. In active dust transport experiments, dust is also scoured from northern midlatitudes during winter, further confining peak accumulation to equatorial regions. As obliquity increases, polar accumulation rates increase for wind stress lifting and are largest for high eccentricities when perihelion occurs during northern winter. For dust devil lifting, polar accumulation rates increase (though less rapidly) with obliquity above o=25°, but increase with decreasing obliquity below this, thus polar dust accumulation at low obliquities may be increasingly due to dust lifted by dust devils. For all cases discussed, the pole receiving most dust shifts from north to south as obliquity is increased.     

Modelling of the combined late-winter ice cap edge and slope winds in Mars Hellas and Argyre regions

Towards the end of southern hemisphere winter (L_s ≈ 180°) the Martian southern polar cap extends equatorward to 40°S and covers at least, the southern slopes of the Hellas and Argyre impact basins. Subsequently, during retreat of the seasonal ice cap, varying configurations of ice coverage on these slopes occur. Since both sloping topography and ice-edge effects can independently drive mesoscale circulations, the superposition of these two processes may then generate interesting wind patterns. A set of numerical experiments has been performed with the University of Helsinki 2-D Mars Mesoscale Circulation Model (MMCM) in order to study the characteristics of circulations driven by these combined forcings. A model-centre latitude of 57°S and a slope angle of 0.6°, both representative of Hellas southern slope, are used. When compared with the winds arising in the ice-free slope case, ice coverage in the upper extent of the slope results in diminished upslope (daytime) winds, while the down-slope (nighttime) flow is enhanced. Ice coverage in the lower section of the slope in turn causes enhanced upslope (daytime) and attenuated downslope (nocturnal) flows. This arises due to the daytime off-ice near-surface flow induced by the thermal contrast at the ice cap edge. The surface winds are persistently downslope over a fully ice-covered slope. Inclusion of atmospheric dust (τ = 0.3) reduces the ice-edge forcing. In comparison with the dust-free situation, the resulting circulation is almost unchanged in the case of ice-covered upper part of the slope, in the opposite case the daytime flow is attenuated and the nocturnal downslope flow enhanced. When the entire slope is ice-covered, the flow is amplified due to the increased direct atmospheric heating. Inclusion of a large scale circulation component (7 m⧸s southerly wind) in conjunction with an ice-covered slope top results in the generation of a downslope windstorm (föhn, or bora-type of event) with near surface winds exceeding 30 m⧸s. Winds of this magnitude, not realised in any of the other experiments, approach speeds deemed capable of lifting dust from the surface.     

Speculation on martian north polar wind circulation and the resultant orientations of polar sand dunes

Dunes in the Martian north polar erg show two dominant orientations. When seen at frost cap minimum, dunes north of 80°N record east winds, dunes south of 80°N record west winds. Many of the transverse dunes are considered to be reversing dunes. Dunes in two fields may have reversed at least once during the lifetime of the Viking Orbiters. Poor agreement exists among published predictive models of north polar winds and the interpretations derived from the major published map of the north polar dunes. We propose that the average polar winds are: (1) strong, off-pole northwest winds in fall; (2) moderate west winds in winter; (3) latitude-dependent weak to strong off-pole northeast winds in spring; and (4) weak west winds in summer. Viking images of near-polar clouds confirm much of the hypothesis. Images discussed in other studies can be given alternative interpretations that support this hypothesis also. Over millenia, the combination of reversing west and east winds could produce the binodal distributions of dune orientations observed at the north pole.     

MGS TES observations of the water vapor above the seasonal and perennial ice caps during northern spring and summer

We report on new retrievals of water vapor column abundances from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data. The new retrievals are from the TES nadir data taken above the ‘cold’ surface areas in the North polar region (T_surf < 220 K, including seasonal frost and permanent ice cap) during spring and summer seasons, where retrievals were not performed initially. Retrievals are possible (with some modifications to the original algorithm) over cold surfaces overlaid by sufficiently warm atmosphere. The retrieved water vapor column abundances are compared to the column abundances observed by other spacecrafts in the Northern polar region during spring and summer and good agreement is found. We detect an annulus of water vapor growing above the edge of the retreating seasonal cap during spring. The formation of the vapor annulus is consistent with the previously proposed mechanism for water cycling in the polar region, according to which vapor released by frost sublimation during spring re-condenses on the retreating seasonal CO₂ cap. The source of the vapor in the vapor annulus, according to this model, is the water frost on the surface of the CO₂ at the retreating edge of the cap and the frost on the ground that is exposed by the retreating cap. Small contribution from regolith sources is possible too, but cannot be quantified based on the TES vapor data alone. Water vapor annulus exhibits interannual variability, which we attribute to variations in the atmospheric temperature. We propose that during spring and summer the water ice sublimation is retarded by high relative humidity of the local atmosphere, and that higher atmospheric temperatures lead to higher vapor column abundances by increasing the water holding capacity of the atmosphere. Since the atmospheric temperatures are strongly influenced by the atmospheric dust content, local dust storms may be controlling the release of vapor into the polar atmosphere. Water vapor abundances above the residual polar cap also exhibit noticeable interannual variability. In some years abundances above the cap are lower than the abundances outside of the cap, consistent with previous observations, while in the other years the abundances above the cap are higher or similar to abundances outside of the cap. We speculate that the differences may be due to weaker off-cap transport in the latter case, keeping more vapor closer to the source at the surface of the residual cap. Despite the large observed variability in water vapor column abundances in the Northern polar region during spring and summer, the latitudinal distribution of the vapor mass in the atmosphere is very similar during the summer season. If the variability in vapor abundances is caused by the variability of vapor sources across the residual cap then this would mean that they annually contribute relatively little vapor mass to significantly affect the vapor mass budget. Alternatively this may suggest that the vapor variability is caused by the variability of the polar atmospheric circulation. The new water vapor retrievals should be useful in tuning the Global Circulation Models of the martian water cycle.     

Martian north polar cap and circumpolar clouds: 1975–1980 telescopic observations

International Planetary Patrol pictures from 1975–1980 have been used to derive partial regression curves for Mars' north polar cap during the 3 Martian years included in the study. The results confirm the existence of a surface cap during late winter and early spring which extends to at least 55°N lat and the mid-spring plateau in cap recession noted by previous studies. Comparison of images acquired using different filters reveals that a substantial increase in circumpolar clouds accompanies the resumption of cap sublimation at the end of the plateau period.     

North polar frontal clouds and dust storms on Mars during spring and summer

The complete archive of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) Mars Daily Global Maps (MDGM) are used to study north polar clouds and dust storms that exhibit frontal structures during the spring and summer (L_s 0-180°). Results show that frontal events generally follow the edge of the polar cap during spring and mid/late summer with a gap in the distribution in early summer. The exact duration and timing of the gap vary from year to year. Ten to twenty percent of spring and summer time frontal events exhibit complex morphologies. Distinct temperature signatures are associated with features observed in images in many but not all cases. The general travel paths of the frontal events are eastward around the polar cap. Westward paths exist only at the edge of the polar cap in late spring/early summer. Occasionally, the paths curve toward or away from the polar cap in certain longitude sectors.     

Global seasonal atmospheric fluctuations on Mars

The Mariner 9 S-band radio occultation measurements, which were taken over half a Martian year, were examined for seasonal variations in atmospheric pressures and temperatures. Seasonally related atmospheric pressure oscillations on a global scale were discovered when the pressures were compared on equi-potential levels. There was a global increase in pressure of about 13% between northern winter and spring seasons, and a global decrease in pressure of nearly 14% between northern spring and summer seasons. The maximum global pressure occurred during the northern spring season approximately one Martian month prior to aphelion. These pressure oscillations were correlated with the seasonal growth and decay, and the total area of the polar caps.Temperatures in the mid-latitude regions near the subsolar points were highest during the northern winter season when Mars was closest to the sun. In addition, high latitudinal temperature gradients (up to 2°K per degree latitude) were found. This has important atmospheric dynamical implications, especially for the growth of baroclinic waves.Occultation observations also indicated that the average elevation of the southern hemisphere was nearly 4km higher than the northern hemisphere when referenced to an equipotential level. The occultation measurements showed that the atmospheric pressures near the surface in the southern hemisphere were 33 to 43% lower than the atmospheric pressures near the surface in the northern hemisphere. In addition to other parameters, the asymmetry in the density of the Martian atmosphere and the hemispheric altitude differences are important in understanding the seasonal dynamic processes that exist in the polar cap regions and in the Martian atmosphere generally.     

Clouds on Titan during the Cassini prime mission: A complete analysis of the VIMS data

We use data from the VIMS instrument on board the Cassini spacecraft to construct high sensitivity and high spatial-resolution maps of the locations of tropospheric clouds on Titan in the late northern winter season during which the Cassini prime mission took place. These observations show that, in this season, clouds on Titan are strongly hemispherically asymmetric. Mid-latitude clouds, in particular, occur only in the southern hemisphere and have not ever been observed in the north. Such an asymmetry is in general agreement with circulation models where sub-solar surface heating controls the locations of clouds and appears in conflict with models where perennial polar hazes prevent significant summertime polar heating from affecting the circulation. The southern mid-latitude clouds appear to be distributed uniformly in longitude, in contrast to some previous observations. Southern high-latitude clouds exhibit a significant concentration, however, between about 180° and 270°E longitude. A spatially and temporally uniform cloud always appears northward of ∼50°N latitude. This cloud appears unchanged over the course of the observations, consistent with the interpretation that it is caused by continuous ethane condensation as air subsides and radiatively cools through the tropopause. The location of this cloud likely provides a direct tracer of elements of north polar atmospheric circulation, potentially allowing continuous monitoring of circulation changes as Titan passes through equinox into north polar spring and summer. We show that a similar analysis of this dataset by Rodriguez et al. (2009) contains substantial errors and should not be used.     

Temporal variations of polar cap 0I 5577-Å airglow

Limb observations of the E-region 0I 5577-Å airglow in the polar caps were obtained during 1971 and 1972 from the ISIS-2 satellite. In the southern polar cap the emission rate decreased to a broad minimum of 100 R near solstice, then increased later in the winter. In the northern polar cap a maximum was observed in November. In addition to large daily variations, there were enhancements that lasted several weeks. From a correlation analysis using both satellite data supplemented by the more extensive data base of Mullen et al. (1977,Planet. Space Sci.25, 23) and stratospheric temperatures, it is clear that stratospheric warmings result in polar cap airglow enhancements. The most plausible cause of these airglow enhancements appears to be increased meridional transport of atomic oxygen into the polar cap.     

The solar terrestrial event of 14–21 December 1971: The pattern of 6300 Å emission over the polar cap

An exceptional solar terrestrial event was initiated by the ejection of plasma from the Sun on 14 December 1971 and was followed by a spectacular pattern of soft particle precipitation into the polar cap, which evolved in a slowly changing sequence until 21 December. The storm was characterized by high proton fluxes in space and near the Earth, an extended interval of northward B_z, a highly developed ring current and widespread polar cap particle fluxes. These varied from a dayside “butterfly pattern” early in the event, to highly structured Sun-aligned polar cap patterns late in recovery. A number of polar cap ground-based measurements were compiled and are reported upon. The storm seems reminiscent of the great red auroras of the IGY and some common features are noted. The 6300 Å emission is shown to result largely from direct excitation by low energy electrons, of a few hundred eV. Since the emission covered the Earth's high-latitude dayside region nearly to the invariant pole it indicates a magnetospheric topology that permits entry of low energy plasma over this region or of mechanisms which allow the generation or penetration of the plasma.     

Tidal Winds on Titan Caused by Saturn

The influence of Saturn's gravitational tide on the atmosphere of Titan is investigated by means of a three-dimensional general circulation model. Titan's orbital eccentricity of 0.0292 gives rise to time-dependent radial and librational tide whose potential circles eastward on Titan. Unlike atmospheric tides on terrestrial planets, Saturn's tide on Titan has a large impact on the dynamic meteorology down to the surface. The surface pressure oscillates by up to 1.5 hPa through the orbit. Near the surface the tidal wind dominates the atmospheric flow and exhibits strong temporal and spatial variation. The superposition of the annually present, thermally forced latitudinal pressure gradient and tidally caused pressure variation produces a unique wind pattern near the surface characterized by equatorward flow and high-latitude whirls. At higher levels the tidal wind manifests itself as eastward traveling planetary-scale wave of wavenumber 2 superposed on the background wind. In general tidal winds are more significant in the troposphere, where other forcing mechanisms are weak. Meridional tidal winds become as fast as 5 m s⁻¹ in the troposphere and change direction periodically through the orbit and along the parallel of latitude. Except in the lower troposphere, zonal winds always remain prograde because the tidal wind amplitude is usually smaller than the mean zonal wind. The tide also has a large impact on the mean zonal circulation in the stratosphere. A meridional drift of the descending Huygens Probe in the troposphere would be the easiest way to verify the tidal wind on Titan, but more complete observations of tropospheric wind and surface pressure by a future mission would be required to unveil the complete details of the tidal wind.     

A theoretical and empirical study of the response of the high latitude thermosphere to the sense of the “Y” component of the interplanetary magnetic field

The strength and direction of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) controls the transfer of solar wind momentum and energy to the high latitude thermosphere in a direct fashion. The sense of “ Y” component of the IMF (BY) creates a significant asymmetry of the magnetospheric convection pattern as mapped onto the high latitude thermosphere and ionosphere. The resulting response of the polar thermospheric winds during periods when BY is either positive or negative is quite distinct, with pronounced changes in the relative strength of thermospheric winds in the dusk-dawn parts of the polar cap and in the dawn part of the auroral oval. In a study of four periods when there was a clear signature of BY, observed by the ISEE-3 satellite, with observations of polar winds and electric fields from the Dynamics Explorer-2 satellite and with wind observations by a ground-based Fabry-Perot interferometer located in Kiruna, Northern Sweden, it is possible to explain features of the high latitude thermospheric circulation using three dimensional global models including BY dependent, asymmetric, polar convection fields. Ground-based Fabry-Perot interferometers often observe anomalously low zonal wind velocities in the (Northern) dawn auroral oval during periods of extremely high geomagnetic activity when BY is positive. Conversely, for BY negative, there is an early transition from westward to southward and eastward winds in the evening auroral oval (excluding the effects of auroral substorms), and extremely large eastward (sunward) winds may be driven in the auroral oval after magnetic midnight. These observations are matched by the observation of strong anti-sunward polar-cap wind jets from the DE-2 satellite, on the dusk side with BY negative, and on the dawn side with BY positive.     

Average high latitude magnetic field: Variation with interplanetary sector and with season—I. Disturbed conditions

High latitude magnetic field data from 16 northern observatories are averaged during periods of magnetic disturbance level Kp = 2^? to 3⁺. Within this disturbance level, variations between interplanetary magnetic field sector (toward and away from the Sun) and geomagnetic season (dipole latitude of the Sun: > 10° = summer, < ? 10° = winter) are delineated. Variations between seasons are: (1) The positive bay and polar cap disturbance is a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter for both sectors. (2) The negative bay disturbance is a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter when the interplanetary field is toward the Sun and vice versa during away sectors. Variations between sectors are: (1) During summer and equinox the negative bay disturbance is greater for toward sectors than for away sectors. The reverse occurs during winter. (2) The positive bay disturbance is greater during toward sectors than during away sectors for all seasons. (3) All diiferences in disturbance level are greater at sunlit local times than in darkness. (4) Angular differences in the direction of the horizontal disturbance of up to 75° occur between sectors in the polar cap and dayside during all seasons. (5) The polar cap-auroral belt boundary location is different for the two sectors. Compared to data from away sectors, this boundary for toward sectors is shifted northward near dawn (5–8^h) and southward between 10 and 22^h. (6) Accompanying this boundary difference there is a change in the direction of the vertical disturbance in the region between 9 and 14^h at geomagnetic latitudes 77–88°. ΔZ in this region is negative during away sectors and positive during toward sectors. Differences between sectors are attributed to changes in the ionospheric electric field configuration and in the distribution of magnetic field aligned currents.Features unrelated to sector or season also occur: (1) A significant Y component is present in both the positive and negative bays. (2) The vertical disturbance $\text{(¦ΔZ¦)}$ to the north of the auroral belt is much larger than that to the south. (3) Two distinct regions of maximum activity are present in the ΔZ accompanying the positive bay disturbance.     

The high latitude circulation and temperature structure of the thermosphere near solstice

The neutral gas temperature and circulation of the thermosphere are calculated for December solstice conditions near solar cycle maximum using NCAR's thermospheric general circulation model (TGCM). High-latitude heat and momentum sources significantly alter the basic solar-driven circulation during solstice. At F-region heights, the increased ion density in the summer hemisphere results in a larger ion drag momentum source for the neutral gas than in the winter hemisphere. As a result there are larger wind velocities and a greater tendency for the neutral gas to follow the magnetospheric convection pattern in the summer hemisphere than in the winter hemisphere. There is about three times more Joule heating in the summer than the winter hemisphere for moderate levels of geomagnetic activity due to the greater electrical conductivity in the summer E-region ionosphere.

The results of several TGCM runs are used to show that at F-region heights it is possible to linearly combine the solar-driven and high-latitude driven solutions to obtain the total temperature structure and circulation to within 10–20%. In the lower thermosphere, however, non-linear terms cause significant departures and a linear superposition of fields is not valid.

The F-region winds at high latitudes calculated by the TGCM are also compared to the meridional wind derived from measurements by the Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) and the zonal wind derived from measurements by the Wind and Temperature Spectrometer (WATS) instruments onboard the Dynamics Explorer (DE−2) satellite for a summer and a winter day. For both examples, the observed and modeled wind patterns are in qualitative agreement, indicating a dominant control of high latitude winds by ion drag. The magnitude of the calculated winds (400–500 m s⁻¹) for the assumed 60 kV cross-tail potential, however, is smaller than that of the measured winds (500–800 m s⁻¹). This suggests the need for an increased ion drag momentum source in the model calculations due to enhanced electron densities, higher ion drift velocities, or some combination that needs to be further denned from the DE−2 satellite measurements.     

Traveling waves in the martian atmosphere from MGS TES Nadir data

We have characterized the annual behavior of martian atmospheric traveling waves in the MGS TES data set from the first two martian years of mapping. There is a high degree of repeatability between the two years. They are dominated by strong low zonal wavenumber waves with high amplitudes near the polar jets, strongest in late northern fall and early northern winter. The m=1 waves have amplitudes up to about 20 K, are vertically extended, and occasionally extend even into the tropics. Periods for m=1 range from 2.5 to 30 sols. Much weaker waves were identified in the south, with amplitudes less than about 3.5 K. Traveling waves with m=2 and m=3 are also seen, but their amplitudes are typically limited to less than 4 K, and are generally more confined near the surface. In the north, they are more evident in fall and spring rather than winter solstice, which is clearly dominated by m=1 waves. Some evidence of storm tracks has been identified in the data, with accentuated weather-related temperature perturbations near longitudes 200° to 320° E for both the southern and northern hemispheres near latitude ±65° at the surface. Some evidence was also found for a sharpening of longitudinal gradients into what may be frontal systems. EP flux divergences show the waves extracting energy from the zonal mean winds. When the m=1 waves were strongest, decelerations of the zonal jet of order 30 m/(s sol) were measured. Above 1 scale height, the waves extract energy from the jet predominately through barotropic processes, but their character is overall mixed barotropic/baroclinic. Inertial instabilities may exist at altitude on the equatorward flanks of the polar jets, and marginal stability extends through to the tropics. This may explain the coordination of the tropical behavior of the waves with that centered along the polar jet, consistent with the ideas expressed in Wilson et al. (2002, Geophys. Res. Lett. 29, #1684) and similar to those in Barnes et al. (1993, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 3125-3148). Throughout the year, there exist large regions with the meridional gradient of PV less than zero, but they are strongest near winter solstice. Poleward of the winter jet, the regions of instability reach the surface, equatorward they do not. These regions, satisfying a necessary criterion for instability, likely explain the genesis of the waves, and perhaps also their bimodal character between surface (faster waves) and altitude (slow m=1 waves).     

Measurements of high latitude thermospheric winds by rocket and ground-based techniques and their interpretation using a three-dimensional,time-dependent dynamical model

A three-dimensional, time-dependent model of thermospheric dynamics has been used to interpret recent experimental measurements of high altitude winds by rocket-borne and ground-based techniques. The model is global and includes a self-consistent treatment of the non-linear, Coriolis and viscosity terms. The solar u.v. and e.u.v. energy input provides the major energy source for the thermosphere. Solar u.v. and e.u.v. heating appear to be inadequate to explain observed thermospheric temperatures if e.u.v. heating efficiency (ε) lies in the range 0.3 < ε < 0.35. If the recent solar e.u.v. data are correct, then a value of ε between 0.4 and 0.45 would bring fluxes and observed temperatures into agreement. The Heppner (1977) and Volland (1978) models of high-latitude electric field are used to provide sources of both momentum (via ion drag) and energy (via Joule heating). We find that the Heppner Model CO (equivalent to Volland Model 1) is most appropriate for very quiet geomagnetic conditions (K_p ? 2) while Model A (equivalent to Volland Model 2) provides the necessary enhancement at high latitudes for conditions of moderate activity (K_p ～ 4). Even with the addition of a polar electric field, there still appears to be a shortage of high-latitude energy input in that model winds tend to be 10 m s^?1 poleward of observed winds under quiet or average geomagnetic conditions. This extra energy cannot be provided by enhancing the polar electric fields since the extra momentum would cause disagreement with the observed high latitude winds. High latitude particulate sources of relatively low energies, ~100 eV, seem the most likely candidates depositing their energy above about 200km. Relatively modest amounts of energy are then required, < 10¹⁰W global, to bring the model into agreement with both high- and mid-latitude neutral wind results.     

Polar warming in the middle atmosphere of Mars

We report ground-based laser heterodyne spectroscopy of non-thermal emission in the cores of the 10.33-μmR(8) and 10.72-μmP(32) lines of ¹²C¹⁶O₂, obtained at 23 locations on the disk of Mars during the 1984 opposition, at L_s = 130°. The data were obtained at a sub-Doppler spectral resolution, and the temperature of the middle Martian atmosphere (50–85 km) is derived from the frequency width and intensity of the R(8) emission, and from the total intensity of the P(32) emission. We find that the temperature of the middle Martian atmosphere varies with latitude. Near the subsolar latitude, the average 50- to 85-km temperature is close to the radiative equilibrium value for a CO₂ atmosphere. However, at high latitudes in both the northern (summer) and southern (winter) hemispheres the 50- to 85-km temperature exceeds the CO₂ radiative equilibrium value; a meridional gradient in the range of 0.4 – 0.9°K per degree of latitude is indicated by our data. The highest temperatures are seen at high latitudes in the winter hemisphere, reminiscent of the seasonal effects seen at the Earth's mesopause. As in the terrestrial case, this winter polar warming in the Martian middle atmosphere necessitates departures from radiative equilibrium; dynamical heating of order 4 × 10² ergs g⁻¹ sec⁻¹ is required at the edge of the winter polar night. A comparison with 2-D circulation models shows that the presence of atmospheric dust may enhance this dynamical heating at high winter latitudes, and may also account for heating at high latitudes in the summer hemisphere.