Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season

Abstract Diurnal analyses of water ice cloud optical depths retrieved from thermal infrared spectra by the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer showed changing cloud abundance throughout the Martian day. Observations began with the start of the Emirates Mars Mission science phase near the beginning o...

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Main Authors: Samuel A. Atwood, Michael D. Smith, Khalid Badri, Christopher S. Edwards, Philip R. Christensen, Michael J. Wolff, François Forget, Saadat Anwar, Nathan Smith, M. R. El‐Maarry
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099654
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author Samuel A. Atwood
Michael D. Smith
Khalid Badri
Christopher S. Edwards
Philip R. Christensen
Michael J. Wolff
François Forget
Saadat Anwar
Nathan Smith
M. R. El‐Maarry
author_facet Samuel A. Atwood
Michael D. Smith
Khalid Badri
Christopher S. Edwards
Philip R. Christensen
Michael J. Wolff
François Forget
Saadat Anwar
Nathan Smith
M. R. El‐Maarry
author_sort Samuel A. Atwood
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Diurnal analyses of water ice cloud optical depths retrieved from thermal infrared spectra by the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer showed changing cloud abundance throughout the Martian day. Observations began with the start of the Emirates Mars Mission science phase near the beginning of aphelion‐season in Mars Year 36 and included the prominent aphelion cloud belt (ACB) and orographic clouds in the vicinity of volcanoes. A midday minimum with higher morning and afternoon optical depths was typical for the ACB, though with considerable spatial variability in this diurnal pattern. Clouds near volcanoes reached a minimum before local noon and tended to increase in abundance throughout the afternoon. Comparisons against the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique global circulation model showed analogous spatial patterns in the diurnal signal, which suggested thermal tides and topographic effects to be the predominant drivers of ACB variability, while more localized circulations affected volcano clouds.
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spelling doaj-art-ebe643e7786544958d9c0112be2cb6da2025-08-20T03:10:20ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072022-08-014915n/an/a10.1029/2022GL099654Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐SeasonSamuel A. Atwood0Michael D. Smith1Khalid Badri2Christopher S. Edwards3Philip R. Christensen4Michael J. Wolff5François Forget6Saadat Anwar7Nathan Smith8M. R. El‐Maarry9Space and Planetary Science Center, and Department of Earth Sciences Khalifa University Abu Dhabi UAENASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAMohammed Bin Rashid Space Center Dubai UAEDepartment of Astronomy and Planetary Science Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USASchool of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University Tempe AZ USASpace Science Institute Boulder CO USALaboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique Paris FranceSchool of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University Tempe AZ USADepartment of Astronomy and Planetary Science Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USASpace and Planetary Science Center, and Department of Earth Sciences Khalifa University Abu Dhabi UAEAbstract Diurnal analyses of water ice cloud optical depths retrieved from thermal infrared spectra by the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer showed changing cloud abundance throughout the Martian day. Observations began with the start of the Emirates Mars Mission science phase near the beginning of aphelion‐season in Mars Year 36 and included the prominent aphelion cloud belt (ACB) and orographic clouds in the vicinity of volcanoes. A midday minimum with higher morning and afternoon optical depths was typical for the ACB, though with considerable spatial variability in this diurnal pattern. Clouds near volcanoes reached a minimum before local noon and tended to increase in abundance throughout the afternoon. Comparisons against the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique global circulation model showed analogous spatial patterns in the diurnal signal, which suggested thermal tides and topographic effects to be the predominant drivers of ACB variability, while more localized circulations affected volcano clouds.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099654
spellingShingle Samuel A. Atwood
Michael D. Smith
Khalid Badri
Christopher S. Edwards
Philip R. Christensen
Michael J. Wolff
François Forget
Saadat Anwar
Nathan Smith
M. R. El‐Maarry
Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season
Geophysical Research Letters
title Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season
title_full Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season
title_fullStr Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season
title_full_unstemmed Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season
title_short Diurnal Variability in EMIRS Daytime Observations of Water Ice Clouds During Mars Aphelion‐Season
title_sort diurnal variability in emirs daytime observations of water ice clouds during mars aphelion season
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099654
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