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Author

Colin Wilson

Other affiliations: University of Sydney
Bio: Colin Wilson is an academic researcher from University of Oxford. The author has contributed to research in topics: Venus & Mars Exploration Program. The author has an hindex of 26, co-authored 98 publications receiving 2417 citations. Previous affiliations of Colin Wilson include University of Sydney.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a nonlinear optimal estimator for multivariatE spectral analySIS (NEMESIS) was developed to interpret observations of Saturn and Titan from the composite infrared spectrometer on board the NASA Cassini spacecraft.
Abstract: With the exception of in situ atmospheric probes, the most useful way to study the atmospheres of other planets is to observe their electromagnetic spectra through remote observations, either from ground-based telescopes or from spacecraft. Atmospheric properties most consistent with these observed spectra are then derived with retrieval models. All retrieval models attempt to extract the maximum amount of atmospheric information from finite sets of data, but while the problem to be solved is fundamentally the same for any planetary atmosphere, until now all such models have been assembled ad hoc to address data from individual missions. In this paper, we describe a new general-purpose retrieval model, Non-linear Optimal Estimator for MultivariatE Spectral analySIS (NEMESIS), which was originally developed to interpret observations of Saturn and Titan from the composite infrared spectrometer on board the NASA Cassini spacecraft. NEMESIS has been constructed to be generally applicable to any planetary atmosphere and can be applied from the visible/near-infrared right out to microwave wavelengths, modelling both reflected sunlight and thermal emission in either scattering or non-scattering conditions. NEMESIS has now been successfully applied to the analysis of data from many planetary missions and also ground-based observations.

492 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present zonal and meridional wind measurements at three altitude levels within the cloud layers of Venus from cloud tracking using images taken with the VIRTIS instrument on board Venus Express.
Abstract: [1] We present zonal and meridional wind measurements at three altitude levels within the cloud layers of Venus from cloud tracking using images taken with the VIRTIS instrument on board Venus Express. At low latitudes, zonal winds in the Southern hemisphere are nearly constant with latitude with westward velocities of 105 ms−1 at cloud-tops (altitude ∼ 66 km) and 60–70 ms−1 at the cloud-base (altitude ∼ 47 km). At high latitudes, zonal wind speeds decrease linearly with latitude with no detectable vertical wind shear (values lower than 15 ms−1), indicating the possibility of a vertically coherent vortex structure. Meridional winds at the cloud-tops are poleward with peak speed of 10 ms−1 at 55° S but below the cloud tops and averaged over the South hemisphere are found to be smaller than 5 ms−1. We also report the detection at subpolar latitudes of wind variability due to the solar tide.

159 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) as discussed by the authors is an element of the Russian contribution to the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission.
Abstract: The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) package is an element of the Russian contribution to the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission. ACS consists of three separate infrared spectrometers, sharing common mechanical, electrical, and thermal interfaces. This ensemble of spectrometers has been designed and developed in response to the Trace Gas Orbiter mission objectives that specifically address the requirement of high sensitivity instruments to enable the unambiguous detection of trace gases of potential geophysical or biological interest. For this reason, ACS embarks a set of instruments achieving simultaneously very high accuracy (ppt level), very high resolving power (>10,000) and large spectral coverage (0.7 to 17 μm—the visible to thermal infrared range). The near-infrared (NIR) channel is a versatile spectrometer covering the 0.7–1.6 μm spectral range with a resolving power of ∼20,000. NIR employs the combination of an echelle grating with an AOTF (Acousto-Optical Tunable Filter) as diffraction order selector. This channel will be mainly operated in solar occultation and nadir, and can also perform limb observations. The scientific goals of NIR are the measurements of water vapor, aerosols, and dayside or night side airglows. The mid-infrared (MIR) channel is a cross-dispersion echelle instrument dedicated to solar occultation measurements in the 2.2–4.4 μm range. MIR achieves a resolving power of >50,000. It has been designed to accomplish the most sensitive measurements ever of the trace gases present in the Martian atmosphere. The thermal-infrared channel (TIRVIM) is a 2-inch double pendulum Fourier-transform spectrometer encompassing the spectral range of 1.7–17 μm with apodized resolution varying from 0.2 to 1.3 cm−1. TIRVIM is primarily dedicated to profiling temperature from the surface up to ∼60 km and to monitor aerosol abundance in nadir. TIRVIM also has a limb and solar occultation capability. The technical concept of the instrument, its accommodation on the spacecraft, the optical designs as well as some of the calibrations, and the expected performances for its three channels are described.

145 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
25 Apr 2019-Nature
TL;DR: The observed changes in H2O and HDO abundance occurred within a few days during the development of the dust storm, suggesting a fast impact of dust storms on the Martian atmosphere.
Abstract: Global dust storms on Mars are rare1,2 but can affect the Martian atmosphere for several months. They can cause changes in atmospheric dynamics and inflation of the atmosphere3, primarily owing to solar heating of the dust3. In turn, changes in atmospheric dynamics can affect the distribution of atmospheric water vapour, with potential implications for the atmospheric photochemistry and climate on Mars4. Recent observations of the water vapour abundance in the Martian atmosphere during dust storm conditions revealed a high-altitude increase in atmospheric water vapour that was more pronounced at high northern latitudes5,6, as well as a decrease in the water column at low latitudes7,8. Here we present concurrent, high-resolution measurements of dust, water and semiheavy water (HDO) at the onset of a global dust storm, obtained by the NOMAD and ACS instruments onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. We report the vertical distribution of the HDO/H2O ratio (D/H) from the planetary boundary layer up to an altitude of 80 kilometres. Our findings suggest that before the onset of the dust storm, HDO abundances were reduced to levels below detectability at altitudes above 40 kilometres. This decrease in HDO coincided with the presence of water-ice clouds. During the storm, an increase in the abundance of H2O and HDO was observed at altitudes between 40 and 80 kilometres. We propose that these increased abundances may be the result of warmer temperatures during the dust storm causing stronger atmospheric circulation and preventing ice cloud formation, which may confine water vapour to lower altitudes through gravitational fall and subsequent sublimation of ice crystals3. The observed changes in H2O and HDO abundance occurred within a few days during the development of the dust storm, suggesting a fast impact of dust storms on the Martian atmosphere.

134 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Transparent conductors (TCs) have a multitude of applications for solar energy utilization and for energy savings, especially in buildings as discussed by the authors, which leads naturally to considerations of spectral selectivity, angular selectivity, and temporal variability of TCs, as covered in three subsequent sections.

1,471 citations

01 Jan 1996
TL;DR: In this paper, the amount of water outgassed from Mars by impact erosion and hydrodynamic escape is estimated to be between 6 to 160 m. The two sets of estimates may be reconciled if early in its history, Mars lost part of its atmosphere.
Abstract: Estimates of the amount of water outgassed from Mars, based on the composition of the atmosphere, range from 6 to 160 m, as compared with 3 km for the Earth. In contrast, large flood features, valley networks, and several indicators of ground ice suggest that at least 500 m of water have outgassed. The two sets of estimates may be reconciled if early in its history, Mars lost part of its atmosphere by impact erosion and hydrodynamic escape.

910 citations

Book
01 May 2011
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of the solar system and its evolution, including the formation and evolution of stars, asteroids, and free-floating planets, as well as their internal and external structures.
Abstract: 1. Introduction 2. Radial velocities 3. Astrometry 4. Timing 5. Microlensing 6. Transits 7. Imaging 8. Host stars 9. Brown dwarfs and free-floating planets 10. Formation and evolution 11. Interiors and atmospheres 12. The Solar System Appendixes References Index.

527 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
05 Aug 2011-Science
TL;DR: Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow, relatively dark markings on steep slopes; repeat images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment show them to appear and incrementally grow during warm seasons and fade in cold seasons.
Abstract: Water probably flowed across ancient Mars, but whether it ever exists as a liquid on the surface today remains debatable. Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5 to 5 meters), relatively dark markings on steep (25° to 40°) slopes; repeat images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment show them to appear and incrementally grow during warm seasons and fade in cold seasons. They extend downslope from bedrock outcrops, often associated with small channels, and hundreds of them form in some rare locations. RSL appear and lengthen in the late southern spring and summer from 48°S to 32°S latitudes favoring equator-facing slopes, which are times and places with peak surface temperatures from ~250 to 300 kelvin. Liquid brines near the surface might explain this activity, but the exact mechanism and source of water are not understood.

456 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The ExoMol database as mentioned in this paper provides extensive line lists of molecular transitions which are valid over extended temperature ranges, including lifetimes of individual states, temperature-dependent cooling functions, Lande g-factors, partition functions, cross sections, k-coefficients and transition dipoles with phase relations.

421 citations