Gale surface wind characterization based on the Mars Science Laboratory REMS dataset. Part I: Wind retrieval and Gale's wind speeds and directions

Viúdez‐Moreiras, Daniel; Gómez‐Elvira, Javier; Newman, C. E.; Navarro, Sara; Marín, Manuela; Torres, J.; Torre‐Juárez, M. de la

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.10.011

Cited by 49 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Although one might wonder whether this complexity might lend itself to wind sculpted rocks that show multiple transport directions, because in experiments directional abrasion features became apparent within a few weeks it is highly probably that surfaces that might carry multidirectional wind tails are a transient phenomenon at best. Wind measurements with the REMS sensor suggest peak wind speeds for upslope winds (towards the south) during the southern hemisphere summer (Viúdez-Moreiras et al, 2019a, 2019b. Thus wind directions derived from abrasion features are broadly consistent with observed wind directions from REMS.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…The Curiosity rover carries the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) wind sensor (Gómez-Elvira et al, 2012) which operated until ca Sol 1,500. Although the measurements show complex wind patterns and great variability related to time of day and season, local scale circulation appears to dominate observed surface winds in Gale Crater (Viúdez-Moreiras et al, 2019a;2019b). Although one might wonder whether this complexity might lend itself to wind sculpted rocks that show multiple transport directions, because in experiments directional abrasion features became apparent within a few weeks it is highly probably that surfaces that might carry multidirectional wind tails are a transient phenomenon at best.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Engraved on the rocks—Aeolian abrasion of Martian mudstone exposures and their relationship to modern wind patterns in Gale Crater, Mars

Schieber

Minitti²,

Sullivan

et al. 2020

The Depositional Record

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In this contribution we report measurements and interpretations of aeolian abrasion features observed along the Mars Science Laboratory rover traverse at Gale Crater on Mars. Aeolian abrasion of surface rocks has been documented by most missions that have landed on Mars, but attention has largely focused on relatively resistant rocks that display ventifact morphologies well‐known from Earth. The current study instead emphasizes abrasion features developed on mudstone surfaces, because aeolian abrasion textures are very common in the mudstone‐dominated Murray Formation at Gale Crater. These abrasion textures have been observed over a wide area, and they allow deductions about dominant past wind regimes that differ from those observed at present. On Earth, aeolian abrasion features in mudstone outcrops have minimal preservation potential because of the susceptibility of mudstones to moisture and aqueous erosion, even in dominantly arid surface environments. Because of this there is no literature on potential terrestrial analogs. In order to better understand aeolian abrasion morphologies in mudstones on Mars, laboratory experiments were conducted that exposed a range of mudstone samples and rock simulant samples to wind‐driven sand for periods of up to four months. These experiments produced a range of aeolian abrasion textures (‘wind tails’, fluting, differential ‘etching’ of laminae, stalks and pedestals) that can serve as analogs for features in the Murray Formation, increasing our confidence regarding aeolian origins for these and the deductions of formative, sand‐driving wind azimuths. Orientations of aeolian abrasion textures along the Mars Science Laboratory traverse were compared with active ripple orientations in rover images, and with previous analyses of orbital images of the study area, in order to evaluate whether the current, complex wind environment can explain the abrasion orientations observed in rover images, or if the abrasion record might also contain signatures of past wind regimes that differed from those of the present. Results show relatively coherent patterns of airflow and sand movement that vary in accordance with factors like local topography and upwind availability of sand for abrasion. Wind events blowing southwest that are primarily responsible for southwest migration of the Bagnold Dunes have also caused bedrock abrasion of similar orientation between these dunes. Less effective wind events (from an abrasion standpoint) blowing south‐southeast have broadly affected bedrock exposures elsewhere across the Mars Science Laboratory landing site away from the Bagnold Dunes. A notable exception are northeast abrasion textures on the more erosion‐resistant sandstones of the Naukluft Plateau. The latter are consistent with one of two abrasion directions measured in previous studies, prior to the rover's arrival at the Murray Formation mudstones, and probably reflect the preservation of an ancient sand‐driving wind regime that differs from that of the present.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engraved on the rocks—Aeolian abrasion of Martian mudstone exposures and their relationship to modern wind patterns in Gale Crater, Mars

Schieber

Minitti²,

Sullivan

et al. 2020

The Depositional Record

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“…Prior to the MY33 dust storm season, the MSL science team created a “global dust storm campaign” involving an increased cadence of environmental monitoring, to be initiated in the event that a large dust storm occurred on the planet that could reach global status. The campaign was updated in early 2018, prior to the MY34 dust storm season, to account for changes in the rover's instrument and operational posture, primarily the failure of the last working anemometer board of the REMS wind sensor near MSL mission Sol 1500 (Viúdez‐Moreiras et al, , ). The campaign was initiated on Sol 2075 (7 June 2018, L s = 188.7°) and stopped on Sol 2169 (11 September 2018, L s = 248.2°).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Science Laboratory Observations of the 2018/Mars Year 34 Global Dust Storm

Guzewich

Lemmon

Smith

et al. 2019

Geophysical Research Letters

151

185

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Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover observations of the 2018/Mars year 34 global/planet‐encircling dust storm represent the first in situ measurements of a global dust storm with dedicated meteorological sensors since the Viking Landers. The Mars Science Laboratory team planned and executed a science campaign lasting approximately 100 Martian sols to study the storm involving an enhanced cadence of environmental monitoring using the rover's meteorological sensors, cameras, and spectrometers. Mast Camera 880‐nm optical depth reached 8.5, and Rover Environmental Monitoring Station measurements indicated a 97% reduction in incident total ultraviolet solar radiation at the surface, 30K reduction in diurnal range of air temperature, and an increase in the semidiurnal pressure tide amplitude to 40 Pa. No active dust‐lifting sites were detected within Gale Crater, and global and local atmospheric dynamics were drastically altered during the storm. This work presents an overview of the mission's storm observations and initial results.

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“…During the GDS, however, this cadence was increased to cover a complete diurnal cycle every 3 sols, in order to better monitor the impact of the storm (Guzewich et al, ). All REMS sensors have been fully functional since landing, except for the Wind Sensor that was damaged during MSL's landing and remained only partially functional until sol 1491 (over the southern spring equinox in MY33), when its active board was damaged, possibly by saltating particles raised by the strong winds as the rover sat in the Bagnold Dune Field (Viúdez‐Moreiras et al, , ).…”

Section: The Rems Instrumentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the MY34/2018 Global Dust Storm as Measured by MSL REMS in Gale Crater

et al. 2019

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The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument is on board NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover. REMS has been measuring surface pressure, air, and ground brightness temperature, relative humidity, and ultraviolet (UV) irradiance since MSL's landing in 2012. In Mars Year (MY) 34 (2018) a global dust storm reached Gale Crater at Ls ~ 190°. REMS offers a unique opportunity to better understand the impact of a global dust storm on local environmental conditions, which complements previous observations by the Viking landers and Mars Exploration Rovers. All atmospheric variables measured by REMS are strongly affected albeit at different times. During the onset phase, the daily maximum UV radiation decreased by 90% between sols 2075 (opacity ~1) and 2085 (opacity ~8.5). The diurnal range in ground and air temperatures decreased by 35 and 56 K, respectively, with also a diurnal‐average decrease of ~2 and 4 K respectively. The maximum relative humidity, which occurs right before sunrise, decreased to below 5%, compared with prestorm values of up to 29%, due to the warmer air temperatures at night, while the inferred water vapor abundance suggests an increase during the storm. Between sols 2085 and 2130, the typical nighttime stable inversion layer was absent near the surface as ground temperatures remained warmer than near‐surface air temperatures. Finally, the frequency domain behavior of the diurnal pressure cycle shows a strong increase in the strength of the semidiurnal and terdiurnal modes peaking after the local opacity maximum, also suggesting differences in the dust abundance inside and outside Gale.

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Gale surface wind characterization based on the Mars Science Laboratory REMS dataset. Part I: Wind retrieval and Gale's wind speeds and directions

Cited by 49 publications

References 25 publications

Engraved on the rocks—Aeolian abrasion of Martian mudstone exposures and their relationship to modern wind patterns in Gale Crater, Mars

Engraved on the rocks—Aeolian abrasion of Martian mudstone exposures and their relationship to modern wind patterns in Gale Crater, Mars

Mars Science Laboratory Observations of the 2018/Mars Year 34 Global Dust Storm

Effects of the MY34/2018 Global Dust Storm as Measured by MSL REMS in Gale Crater

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