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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
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NASA NTRS1988

Transport of Mars atmospheric water into high northern latitudes during a polar warming

Several numerical experiments were conducted with a simplified tracer transport model in order to attempt to examine the poleward transport of Mars atmospheric water during a polar warming like that which occurred during the winter solstice dust storm of 1977. The flow for the transport experiments was taken from numerical simulations with a nonlinear beta-plane dynamical model. Previous studies with this model have demonstrated that a polar warming having essential characteristics like those observed during the 1977 dust storm can be produced by a planetary wave mechanism analogous to that responsible for terrestrial sudden stratospheric warmings. Several numerical experiments intended to simulate water transport in the absence of any condensation were carried out. These experiments indicate that the flow during a polar warming can transport very substantial amounts of water to high northern latitudes, given that the water does not condense and fall out before reaching the polar region.

Barnes, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Interannual Comparison of Water Vapor in the North Polar Region of Mars

In order to better understand the current climate of Mars, we seek to understand atmospheric water in the north polar region. Our approach is to examine the water transport and cycling issues within the north polar region and in/out of the region on seasonal and annual timescales. Viking Mars Atmospheric Water Detector (MAWD) data showed that water vapor increased as the northern summer season progressed and temperatures increased, and that vapor appeared to be transported southward . However, there has been uncertainty about the amount of water cycling in and out of the north polar region, as evidenced by residual polar cap visible brightness changes between one Martian year (Mariner 9 data) and a subsequent year (Viking data). These changes were originally thought to be interannual variations in the amount of frost sublimed based on global dust storm activity . However, Viking thermal and imaging data were re-examined and it was found that 14-35 pr m of water -ice appeared to be deposited on the cap later in the summer season, indicating that some water may be retained and redistributed within the polar cap region. This late summer deposition could be due to adsorption directly onto the cap surface or due to snowfall. We seek to understand what happens to the water on seasonal and interannual timescales. We address these issues by examining water vapor in the north polar region of Mars during the north spring and summer period from MGS TES data and by comparing these results to the Viking MAWD results.

Tamppari, L. K.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Water-Wheel IR (WIR): A Contact Survey Experiment for Water and Carbonates on Mars

Minimum requirements for life include water and accessible carbon. Mars has both in its polar caps and atmosphere. Water (or water-equivalent hydrogen) is present at shallow depths (approx. 10-20 cm) at latitudes =60 and is heterogeneously distributed in other parts of Mars [1]. Mars may have once had surface water that could plausibly have produced carbonate deposits [2-5]. Mars shows signs of hydrothermal activity [6-8] that may have affected soil composition [9, 10]. The Thermal Emission Spectrometer on the Mars Global Surveyor found large and small patches of hematite that may have been water-borne or water-derived [11, 12]. Current orbiting spacecraft (MGS & Odyssey) have not found massive carbonate deposits, however [13]. Shales and limestones, which we associate with moist and benign environments on Earth, are apparently not abundant on Mars. Both carbonate and organic carbon occur as alteration products in Martian meteorites of igneous origin [14]. One study of MGS-TES data suggests 2-5 wt% carbonates (mainly MgCO3) in surface dust, but found no concentrated source [15]. Carbonates and H2O/OH bearing minerals will be sought by the mini-TES and Mossbauer experiments on the Mars Exploration Rovers, one of which landed successfully on Mars on January 3.

Wang, Alian↗
NASA NTRS1990

Mars atmospheric D/H - Consistent with polar volatile theory?

Current theories on the Martian water history are discussed on the basis of data for the D/H ratio in the Martian atmosphere (which was found to be enhanced by a factor of 6 + or - relative to the value on earth). In particular, the calculations of Yung et al. (1988), on the basis of their photochemical model, are found to be inconsistent with current theories for the evolution of the polar deposits on Mars. While the photochemical model predicts that about 95 percent of the Martian water has escaped over geologic time and the nonatmospheric reservoir is now only 02 m thick, the polar volatile theory suggest that polar deposits contain the equivalent of tens of meters of water, requiring a more rapid escape of H and D to space than predicted by the photochemical model to match the observed D/H ratio. The paper examines the behavior of the polar caps and the atmospheric water vapor over geologic time and the loss of H and D to space. It is concluded that, at present, it is premature to accept a specific history for water on Mars.

Jakosky, Bruce M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Understanding the Water Cycle Above the North Polar Cap on Mars Using MRO CRISM Retrievals of Water Vapor

The north polar cap (NPC) on Mars is the major reservoir of atmospheric water (H2O) currently on Mars. The retrieval and monitoring of atmospheric water vapor abundance are crucial for tracking the cycle of water above the NPC. The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has provided a wealth of data that extend over 5 + Martian years, covering the time period between 2006 and 2016. CRISM is ideally suited for spring and summer observations of the north polar region (latitudes poleward of 60 °N). The retrievals of water vapor column abundances over this extended period of time were performed over both ice-free and water ice covered surfaces, extending the coverage of the water vapor maps to include the permanent cap, where a maximum value of 90 precipitable micrometers (pr–µm) is retrieved, as compared to 60 pr–µm over ice-free regions in the North Polar Region. Away from summertime maximum, modest interannual variability in the water vapor abundance is observed. Zonal averages over all the observed Martian years combined show a developing water front that shifts northward towards summer, before dissipating over the permanent cap during mid-summer. A prominent feature at latitudes around 75 °N shows large abundances of water vapor, indicating a water vapor annulus encircling the retreating edge of the seasonal polar cap during late spring. Meridional transport of water modeled here show that the annulus may be a result of the convergence of water vapor from both south and north along the retreating edge of the NPC.

Khayat, Alain S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Sublimation and transport of water from the north residual polar cap on Mars

The possible role of the north residual cap in the current Martian water cycle was examined using models to assess the ability of the cap to supply water to the atmosphere and the ability of the atmospheric circulation to transport it out of the polar regions to low northern latitudes. Results indicate that rather extreme circumstances would be required for the cap to provide all of the observed increase in atmospheric water, such as a combination of high surface winds, low cap emissivities, or substantial evaporation from dark material. But even if these conditions could be met, the high-latitude circulation is too localized in scale to move much water vapor out of the polar environment. Both the present calculations and the data from the Viking's Mars Atmospheric Water Detection Experiment show that about two thirds of the water appearing in the Martian northern hemisphere during summer must be supplied by other sources. It is suggested that the additional source is water desorbing from the nonpolar regolith.

Haberle, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Detections of Water Vapor Increase Over the North Polar Troughs on Mars as Observed by CRISM

The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been observing the north polar layered deposits (NPLD) of Mars. Polar wind circulations are instrumental in shaping the NPLD. In particular, the downslope (katabatic) flows help carve the spiral‐shaped geological depressions, known as the polar troughs, and appropriate environmental conditions develop katabatic jumps that favor substantial water abundance changes over the troughs. Utilizing CRISM retrievals, we report the first observational evidence of the sharp increase in the water vapor abundance over polar troughs on Mars at high resolution (~320 m). This has a direct influence on the dynamic evolution of ice migration in the northern polar cap, the major source of atmospheric water on Mars.

Alain SJ Khayat↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Contribution of Water Ice Clouds to the Water Cycle in the North Polar Region of Mars: Preliminary Analysis

While it has long been known that Mars' north residual polar cap and the Martian regolith are significant sources of atmospheric water vapor, the amount of water vapor observed in the northern spring season by the Viking Mars Atmospheric Water Detector instrument (MAWD) cannot be attributed to cap and regolith sources alone. Kahn suggested that ice hazes may be the mechanism by which additional water is supplied to the Martian atmosphere. Additionally, a significant decrease in atmospheric water vapor was observed in the late northern summer that could not be correlated with the return of the cold seasonal C02 ice. While the detection of water ice clouds on Mars indicate that water exists in Mars' atmosphere in several different phases, the extent to which water ice clouds play a role in moving water through the Martian atmosphere remains uncertain. Work by Bass et. al. suggested that the time dependence of water ice cap seasonal variability and the increase in atmospheric water vapor depended on the polar cap center reaching 200K, the night time saturation temperature. Additionally, they demonstrated that a decrease in atmospheric water vapor may be attributed to deposition of water ice onto the surface of the polar cap; temperatures were still too warm at this time in the summer for the deposition of carbon dioxide. However, whether water ice clouds contribute significantly to this variability is unknown. Additional information is contained in original extended abstract.

Bass, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Mars Observer: Applications to atmospheric transport

The Pressure Modulator Infrared Radiometer (PMIRR) is an atmospheric sounder designed to observe temporal and spatial variations of water vapor and of dust suspended in the Mars atmosphere, to characterize the planetary-scale thermal structure and circulation of the atmosphere, and to quantify the polar radiative balance. These measurements are fundamental to understanding the seasonal cycles of dust, of water, and of CO2 on Mars and, in particular, to determining the role of atmospheric transport. Using measurements in eight narrow-band infrared spectral regions and one broadband visible channel, the PMIRR investigation teams at JPL and Oxford University will derive vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature, extinction due to suspended dust, and water vapor concentration, as well as locations of CO2 and H2O ice clouds. These data will be used in a variety of ways to address issues of atmospheric dynamics and transport. Three topics will be emphasized here: (1) the expected precision of the retrieved profiles of temperature, dust extinction, and water vapor, including plans for validating the profiles; (2) the observation strategy, designed to best use PMIRR's two-axis scan mirror, as deployed in the Mars Observer mapping orbit; and (3) approaches to mapping the atmospheric fields globally and the derivation of key meteorological fields related to estimating atmospheric transport.

Zurek, Richard W.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Behavior of volatiles in Mars' polar areas - A model incorporating new experimental data

A model has been developed to explain the north polar water vapor results obtained by the Viking orbiter Mars atmospheric water detector; it has also been used to compute the thickness of seasonally deposited CO2 frost, the variation of the total atmospheric pressure, and wind velocities due to mass motions associated with CO2 condensation. A north polar water ice thickness in excess of 1 m and an ice albedo a of 0.34(+0.06,-0.03) are inferred from a comparison of the model and experimental data. The model results confirm an earlier conclusion that the atmosphere over the ice is saturated. It is suggested that concentration of the atmospheric inert gases in the polar region, combined with local topography and arctic circulation patterns, could be responsible for the south remnant cap not being at the south pole

Davies, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The Mars water cycle at other epochs: History of the polar caps and layered terrain

The atmospheric water cycle at the present epoch involves summertime sublimation of water from the north polar cap, transport of water through the atmosphere, and condensation on one or both winter CO2 caps. Exchange with the regolith is important seasonally, but the water content of the atmosphere appears to be controlled by the polar caps. The net annual transport through the atmosphere, integrated over long timescales, must be the driving force behind the long-term evolution of the polar caps; clearly, this feeds back into the evolution of the layered terrain. We have investigated the behavior of the seasonal water cycle and the net integrated behavior at the pole for the last 10 exp 7 years. Our model of the water cycle includes the solar input, CO2 condensation and sublimation, and summertime water sublimation through the seasonal cycles, and incorporates the long-term variations in the orbital elements describing the Martian orbit.

Jakosky, Bruce M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Workshop on the Polar Regions of Mars: Geology, Glaciology, and Climate History, part 1

Papers and abstract of papers presented at the workshop are presented. Some representative titles are as follows: Glaciation in Elysium; Orbital, rotational, and climatic interactions; Water on Mars; Rheology of water-silicate mixtures at low temperatures; Evolution of the Martian atmosphere (the role of polar caps); Is CO2 ice permanent; Dust transport into Martian polar latitudes; Mars observer radio science (MORS) observations in polar regions; and Wind transport near the poles of Mars (timescales of changes in deposition and erosion).

Clifford, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Water Ice Albedo Variations on the Martian Northern Polar Cap

The Viking Orbiters determined that the surface of Mars northern residual cap is water ice. Many researchers have related observed atmospheric water vapor abundances to seasonal exchange between reservoirs such as the polar caps, but the extent to which the exchange between the surface and the atmosphere remains uncertain. Early studies of the ice coverage and albedo of the northern residual Martian polar cap using Mariner 9 and Viking images reported that there were substantial internannual differences in ice deposition on the polar cap, a result which suggested a highly variable Martian climate. However, some of the data used in these studies were obtained at differing values of heliocentric solar longitude (L(sub s)). Reevaluation of this dataset indicated that the residual cap undergoes seasonal brightening throughout the summer, and indicated that this process repeats from year to year. In this study we continue to compare Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter imaging observations and thermal data of the north residual polar cap to data acquired with Mars Global Surveyor s Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) instrument. In the current study, our goal is to examine all released data from MGS MOC in the northern summer season, along with applicable TES data in order to better understand the albedo variations in the northern summer and their implications on water transport. To date, work has focused primarily on the MOC dataset. In 1999, data acquisition of the northern polar regions began at L(sub s) = 107, although there was little north polar data acquired from L(sub s)= 107 to L(sub s) = 109. We examined a total of 409 images from L(sub s) = 107 to L(sub s)=148. We have also examined data from 2000 from L(sub s)= 93 to L(sub s)= 110; additional progress is ongoing. Here we present a progress report of our observations, and continue to determine their implications for the Martian water cycle.

Hale, A. S.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Seasonal aldedo variations on the Martian north polar cap as seen by MGS

The Viking Orbiters determined that the surface of Mars' northern redisual cap is water ice. Many researchers have related observed atmospheric water vapor abundances to seasonal exchange between reservoirs such as the polar caps, but the extent to which the exchange between the surface and the atmosphere remains uncertain.

Mars↗
NASA NTRS1995

Cloud Ozone Dust Imager (CODI): Investigation and Technical Plan - Volume 1

The Cloud Ozone Dust Imager (CODI) is proposed to investigate the current climatic balance of the Mars atmosphere, with particular emphasis on the important but poorly understood roles which dust and water ice aerosols play in this balance. The large atmospheric heating (20-50 K) resulting from global dust storms around Mars perihelion is well recognized. However, groundbased observations of Mars atmospheric temperatures, water vapor, and clouds since the Viking missions have identified a much colder, cloudier atmosphere around Mars aphelion that may prove as important as global dust storms in determining the interannual and long-term behavior of the Mars climate. The key climate issues CODI is designed to investigate are: 1) the degree to which non-linear interactions between atmospheric dust heating, water vapor saturation, and cloud nucleation influence the seasonal and interannual variability of the Mars atmosphere, and 2) whether the strong orbital forcing of atmospheric dust loading, temperatures and water vapor saturation determines the long-term balance of Mars water, as reflected in the north-south hemispheric asymmetries of atmospheric water vapor and polar water ice abundances. The CODI experiment will measure the daily, seasonal and (potentially) interannual variability of atmospheric dust and cloud opacities, and the key physical properties of these aerosols which determine their role in the climate cycles of Mars. CODI is a small (1.2 kg), fixed pointing camera, in which four wide-angle (+/- 70 deg) lenses illuminate fixed filters and CCD arrays. Simultaneous sky/surface imaging of Mars is obtained at an angular resolution of 0.28 deg/pixel for wavelengths of 255, 336, 502, and 673 nm (similar to Hubble Space Telescope filters). These wavelengths serve to measure atmospheric ozone (255 and 336 nm), discriminate ice and dust aerosols (336 and 673 nm), and construct color images (336, 502, and 673 nm). The CODI images are detected on four 512 x 512 pixel arrays, as partitioned on two 1024 x 1024 CCD's operated in frame transfer mode. The center of the CODI field-of-view is canted 40 deg from the zenith direction to obtain sky brightness measurements and a 20 deg surface field-of-view. Daily image observations will be conducted when the Sun is greater than or equal to 5 deg outside the edge of the CODI field-of-view, and twilight and nighttime imaging will obtained on a weekly basis. The 673 nm channel includes a polarizer wheel to obtain sky/surface polarimetry. A dust cover protects the entire lens assemblies of all four CODI channels. This opaque dust cover, which is normally opened for CODI imaging, includes a small fixed mirror and transparent window positioned above the 673 nm lens, to redirect the 673 nm field-of-view to the surface for descent imaging. Fixed pointing, internal data buffering, low operating power (2-4 W for less than or equal to 30 seconds), selective data transmission, and simple operational characteristics of the CODI experiment place minimum resource and operational demands on the Mars Surveyor 1998 lander. The CODI science goals are optimized for, but not restricted to, a low-latitude landing site (20 deg S-30 deg N). The primary CODI measurement objectives are the opacities, wave forms, particle properties (size, shape, and alignment), and heights of clouds; the opacities, particle properties, and vertical distribution of dust; and the opacity and vertical distribution of ozone. The variability of cloud, ozone, and dust opacities will be determined on diurnal, daily, and seasonal timescales. Wind velocities will be determined from cloud motions and wave characteristics; and the temporal variability of atmospheric water vapor, with limited altitude information, will be inferred from the CODI ozone observations. Secondary measurement objectives include limited descent imaging capability, surface uv-visible photometry and polarimetry, photochemistry, and meteorite infall rates.

Clancy, R. Todd↗