Global characteristics of gravity waves in the upper atmosphere of Mars as measured by MAVEN/NGIMS
File(s)Gravity_Wave_Paper_Final.pdf (1.9 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Siddle, AG
Mueller-Wodarg, ICF
Stone, SW
Yelle, RV
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present an analysis of gravity waves in Mars' upper atmosphere above 120 km. Using in-situ data from NGIMS onboard MAVEN we have been able to characterise waves from nearly 4000 orbits. We have used temperature and density profiles to extract perturbations and interpret these as vertically propagating gravity waves which we characterise by their amplitude and wavelength. In this region of the atmosphere gravity waves have amplitudes of around 10%. Vertical wavelengths are found to be around 10–30 km. We observe an increase in gravity wave amplitudes with increasing solar zenith angle. Gravity wave amplitudes appear invariant in altitude on the dayside, however increase with altitude on the nightside.
Date Issued
2019-11-15
Date Acceptance
2019-05-17
Citation
Icarus, 2019, 333, pp.12-21
ISSN
0019-1035
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
12
End Page
21
Journal / Book Title
Icarus
Volume
333
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Grant Number
ST/N504336/1
Subjects
Astronomy & Astrophysics
0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
0402 Geochemistry
0404 Geophysics
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-05-24