Using airglow measurements to observe gravity waves in the Martian atmosphere

Melo, S. M. L.; Chiu, O.; Muñoz, A. García; Strong, Kimberly; McConnell, J. C.; Slanger, T. G.; Taylor, Michael J.; Lowe, R. P.; McDade, I. C.; Huestis, D. L.

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2005.08.041

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As previous Martian general circulation modeling studies [ Medvedev et al , ] demonstrated significant direct GW propagation into the thermosphere, there is appreciable evidence that a significant portion of the GWs observed at thermospheric altitudes primarily originate in the lower atmosphere, although the observed amplitudes of these waves at thermospheric altitudes do not simply reflect the spatial distribution of known sources of such waves in the lower atmosphere [e.g., Creasey et al , ]. Observing gravity wave propagation directly from the lower atmosphere to the thermosphere is not currently possible, but their signatures have been observed and modeled in the lower atmosphere [e.g., Creasey et al , ; Pettengill and Ford , ; Altieri et al , ] and middle atmosphere [e.g., Wright , ; Melo et al ., ]. Combing such observations in a coordinated manner may allow future studies to elucidate the connection between the lower atmosphere sources and the properties of these waves at higher altitudes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MAVEN NGIMS observations of atmospheric gravity waves in the Martian thermosphere

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gravity waves have a significant impact on both the dynamics and energy budget of the Martian thermosphere. Strong density variations of spatial scales indicative of gravity waves have previously been identified in this region by using in situ observations. Here we use observations from the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) mass spectrometer on Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Mission to identify such waves in the observations of different atmospheric species. The wave signatures seen in CO2 and Ar are almost identical, whereas the wave signature seen in N2, which is lighter and has a larger scale height, is generally smaller in amplitude and slightly out of phase with those seen in CO2 and Ar. Examination of the observed wave properties in these three species suggests that relatively long vertical wavelength atmospheric gravity waves are the likely source of the waves seen by NGIMS in the upper thermosphere. A two‐fluid linear model of the wave perturbations in CO2 and N2 has been used to find the best fit intrinsic wave parameters that match the observed features in these two species. We report the first observationally based estimate of the heating and cooling rates of the Martian thermosphere created by the waves observed in this region. The observed wave density amplitudes are anticorrelated with the background atmospheric temperature. The estimated heating rates show a weak positive correlation with the wave amplitude, whereas the cooling rates show a clearer negative correlation with the wave amplitude. Our estimates support previous model‐based findings that atmospheric gravity waves are a significant source of both heating and cooling.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MAVEN NGIMS observations of atmospheric gravity waves in the Martian thermosphere

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Airglow observation might also serve to infer temperatures and wind velocities (Ward et al, 2003) and observe gravity waves (Melo et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airglow on Mars: Some model expectations for the OH Meinel bands and the O IR atmospheric band

Muñoz

McConnell

McDade

et al. 2005

Icarus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…This conclusion strengthens the argument that dynamics play a significant role in the Venus atmosphere. For example, it was shown from modeling studies and observations that the gravity waves affect the background atmosphere and therefore are reflected in the airglow fields [e.g., Zhang et al , 1996; Bougher et al ; 1997; Melo et al , 2006; Piccioni et al , 2009]. Brecht et al [2011]studied the sensitivity of the Venusian oxygen density distribution to winds by changing the wave‐drag timescale and concluded that the peak density is controlled by this parameter, i.e., stronger winds provide more oxygen atoms on the nightside, resulting in an increased concentration.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeled O₂ nightglow distributions in the Venusian atmosphere

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

.[1] In this paper, we study the global distribution of the O 2 Infrared Atmospheric (0-0) emission at 1.27 mm in the Venusian atmosphere with an airglow model in combination with atmospheric conditions provided by a three-dimensional model, the Venus Thermospheric Global Circulation Model. We compare our model simulations with airglow observations of this emission from the Visible and InfraRed Thermal Imaging Spectrometer on board the Venus Express orbiter. Our model is successful in reproducing the latitudinal and temporal trends seen in the observations for latitudes between 0 and 30 , while poleward of 30 , the model results start to diverge away from the measurements. We attribute this discrepancy to the atomic oxygen distribution at these latitudes in our model that is inconsistent with the recent measurements. We also conducted a sensitivity study to explore the dependence of the vertical structure and the distribution of the airglow emission on the atmospheric conditions. The sensitivity study confirms that changes in the distribution of atomic oxygen significantly affect the characteristics of the airglow layer. Therefore, meaningful comparisons with observations require a three-dimensional model, which accounts for dynamical variations in the background atmosphere. With this investigation, we highlight the impact of the atmospheric conditions on the airglow distribution, which is important for the understanding of how the phenomenon plays.

show abstract

Using airglow measurements to observe gravity waves in the Martian atmosphere

Cited by 7 publications

References 48 publications

MAVEN NGIMS observations of atmospheric gravity waves in the Martian thermosphere

MAVEN NGIMS observations of atmospheric gravity waves in the Martian thermosphere

Airglow on Mars: Some model expectations for the OH Meinel bands and the O IR atmospheric band

Modeled O₂ nightglow distributions in the Venusian atmosphere

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Using airglow measurements to observe gravity waves in the Martian atmosphere

Cited by 7 publications

References 48 publications

MAVEN NGIMS observations of atmospheric gravity waves in the Martian thermosphere

MAVEN NGIMS observations of atmospheric gravity waves in the Martian thermosphere

Airglow on Mars: Some model expectations for the OH Meinel bands and the O IR atmospheric band

Modeled O2 nightglow distributions in the Venusian atmosphere

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Modeled O₂ nightglow distributions in the Venusian atmosphere