Journal ArticleDOI
Radio science observations with Mars Global Surveyor: Orbit insertion through one Mars year in mapping orbit
G. Leonard Tyler,Georges Balmino,David P. Hinson,William L. Sjogren,David E. Smith,Richard A. Simpson,Sami W. Asmar,Patricia Priest,Joseph D. Twicken +8 more
TLDR
In this article, the authors used the 3.6-cm λ radio path of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) during periods of atmospheric occultation to estimate the vertical temperature-pressure structure T[p(r)] to accuracies at the surface of ΔT ≈ 0.4 K and Δp ≈ 2 Pa, and ∼10 K and ∼0.6 Pa at altitudes of 40-50 km; the error in radius is Δr ≈ 1 m at all levels.Abstract:
Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) radio science comprises studies of the atmosphere and gravity of the planet. Perturbations of the 3.6-cm λ radio path by the atmosphere during periods of atmospheric occultation provide the vertical temperature-pressure structure T[p(r)] to accuracies at the surface of ΔT ≈ 0.4 K and Δp ≈ 2 Pa, and ∼10 K and ∼0.6 Pa at altitudes of 40–50 km; the error in radius is Δr ≈ 1 m at all levels. Accurate knowledge of the radius permits fixing of the T-p structure to the geopotential and use of the gradient wind equation to calculate components of the wind. Systematic sampling of the atmosphere in combination with the accuracy of the MGS radio system supports studies of the large-scale dynamics of the atmosphere, including seasonal variations of the atmospheric fields and embedded waves such as Kelvin and Rossby waves. Terminator region ionospheric electron density profiles are obtained successfully much of the time but on occasion are undetectable with the MGS system. Two-way radio tracking of MGS with uncertainties in the line-of-sight velocity of several to tens of μm s−1 and less supports solution for spherical harmonic models of the gravity field of order and degree in the range of 75×75, although the degree and order of meaningful terms is limited by the ∼400 km spacecraft altitude to ∼62×62, corresponding to a resolution of a few degrees of arc on the surface. This resolution of gravity is sufficient to support geophysical studies of the planet's interior structure and history. Additional radio science investigations include the search for gravitational radiation and observation of very low grazing angle forward scattering by the surface of Mars.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars
David E. Smith,Maria T. Zuber,Herbert Frey,James B. Garvin,James W. Head,Duane O. Muhleman,Gordon H. Pettengill,Roger J. Phillips,Sean C. Solomon,H. Jay Zwally,W. Bruce Banerdt,Thomas C. Duxbury,Matthew P. Golombek,Frank G. Lemoine,Gregory A. Neumann,David D. Rowlands,Oded Aharonson,Peter G. Ford,Anton B. Ivanov,Catherine L. Johnson,Patrick J. McGovern,James B. Abshire,Robert S. Afzal,Xiaoli Sun +23 more
TL;DR: The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) has been used to measure the topography, surface roughness, and 1.064-μm reflectivity of Mars and the heights of volatile and dust clouds as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI
Interannual variability in TES atmospheric observations of Mars during 1999–2003
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used infrared spectra returned by the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) to retrieve atmospheric and surface temperature, dust and water ice aerosol optical depth, and water vapor column abundance.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mars Climate Sounder: An investigation of thermal and water vapor structure, dust and condensate distributions in the atmosphere, and energy balance of the polar regions
Daniel J. McCleese,John T. Schofield,Fredric W. Taylor,S. B. Calcutt,Marc C. Foote,David M. Kass,Conway B. Leovy,David A. Paige,Peter L. Read,Richard W. Zurek +9 more
TL;DR: The Mars Climate Sounder experiment on the 2005 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, described here, is the latest attempt to characterize the Martian atmosphere with the sort of coverage and precision achieved by terrestrial weather satellites as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI
An improved solution of the gravity field of Mars (GMM‐2B) from Mars Global Surveyor
Frank G. Lemoine,David Smith,David D. Rowlands,Maria T. Zuber,Gregory A. Neumann,D. S. Chinn,D. E. Pavlis +6 more
TL;DR: A spherical harmonic solution of the Mars gravity field to degree and order 80 was developed using X band tracking data of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) from October 1997 to February 2000 and altimeter crossovers formed from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data between March and December 1999 as discussed by the authors.
Constraints on the Interior Structure and Seasonal Mass Redistribution of Mars from Radio Tracking of Mars Pathfinder
R. A. Preston,W. M. Folkner +1 more
TL;DR: Improved values of the precession of Mars' pole of rotation and the variation in Mars' rotation rate are estimated, which are in good agreement with a model of seasonal mass exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and ice caps.
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Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars
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