Search Publications
Water vapor in the middle atmosphere of Mars during the 2007 global dust storm
Montmessin, Franck; Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Korablev, Oleg +4 more
Recent observations of the Martian hydrogen corona in the UV H Ly-alpha emission by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) (Clarke et al., 2014) and the SPICAM UV spectrometer on Mars Express (Chaffin et al., 2014) reported its rapid change by an order of magnitude over a short few months period in 2007 (MY28), which is inconsistent with the existing mo…
Equatorial locations of water on Mars: Improved resolution maps based on Mars Odyssey Neutron Spectrometer data
Elphic, Richard C.; Massey, Richard J.; Maurice, Sylvestre +4 more
We present a map of the near subsurface hydrogen distribution on Mars, based on epithermal neutron data from the Mars Odyssey Neutron Spectrometer. The map's spatial resolution is approximately improved two-fold via a new form of the pixon image reconstruction technique. We discover hydrogen-rich mineralogy far from the poles, including ∼10 wt.% w…
The GEM-Mars general circulation model for Mars: Description and evaluation
Daerden, F.; Neary, L.
GEM-Mars is a gridpoint-based three-dimensional general circulation model (GCM) of the Mars atmosphere extending from the surface to approximately 150 km based on the GEM (Global Environmental Multiscale) model, part of the operational weather forecasting and data assimilation system for Canada. After the initial modification for Mars, the model h…
Characterization of dust activity on Mars from MY27 to MY32 by PFS-MEX observations
Aoki, Shohei; Giuranna, Marco; Wolkenberg, Paulina +4 more
We present spatial and temporal distributions of dust on Mars from Ls = 331° in MY 26 until Ls = 80° in MY33 retrieved from the measurements taken by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) aboard Mars Express. In agreement with previous observations, large dust opacity is observed mostly in the southern hemisphere spring/summer and particularly …
A systematic search of sudden pressure drops on Gale crater during two Martian years derived from MSL/REMS data
Hueso, Ricardo; Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín; Ordonez-Etxeberria, Iñaki
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover carries a suite of meteorological detectors that constitute the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument. REMS investigates the meteorological conditions at Gale crater by obtaining high-frequency data of pressure, air and ground temperature, relative humidity, UV flux at the surface and wind…
Investigating the volcanic versus aqueous origin of the surficial deposits in Eastern Elysium Planitia, Mars
Voigt, Joana R. C.; Hamilton, Christopher W.
The Elysium Volcanic Province consists of numerous overlapping flow units and may include the youngest lava flows on Mars. However, it is possible that these volcanic units have been modified or overprinted by aqueous processes. Understanding the timing of the igneous and aqueous events in this region is therefore essential for constraining the ge…
Limb clouds and dust on Mars from images obtained by the Visual Monitoring Camera (VMC) onboard Mars Express
Hueso, R.; Sánchez-Lavega, A.; Titov, D. +6 more
The Visual Monitoring Camera (VMC) onboard the Mars Express (MEx) spacecraft is a simple camera aimed to monitor the release of the Beagle-2 lander on Mars Express and later used for public outreach. Here, we employ VMC as a scientific instrument to study and characterize high altitude aerosols events (dust and condensates) observed at the Martian…
A reanalysis of ozone on Mars from assimilation of SPICAM observations
Lefèvre, Franck; Holmes, James A.; Lewis, Stephen R. +1 more
We have assimilated for the first time SPICAM retrievals of total ozone into a Martian global circulation model to provide a global reanalysis of the ozone cycle. Disagreement in total ozone between model prediction and assimilation is observed between 45°S-10°S from LS = 135-180° and at northern polar (60°N-90°N) latitudes during north…
Quantifying widespread aqueous surface weathering on Mars: The plateaus south of Coprates Chasma
Quantin-Nataf, C.; Millot, C.; Flahaut, J. +4 more
Pedogenesis has been previously proposed on the plateaus around Coprates Chasma, Valles Marineris to explain the presence of widespread clay sequences with Al-clays and possible hydrated silica over Fe/Mg-clays on the surface of the plateaus (Le Deit et al., 2012; Carter et al., 2015). We use previous observations together with new MRO targeted ob…
A depth versus diameter scaling relationship for the best-preserved melt-bearing complex craters on Mars
Tornabene, Livio L.; Osinski, Gordon R.; Harrison, Tanya N. +4 more
We use topographic data to show that impact craters with pitted floor deposits are among the deepest on Mars. This is consistent with the interpretation of pitted materials as primary crater-fill impactite deposits emplaced during crater formation. Our database consists of 224 pitted material craters ranging in size from ∼1 to 150 km in diameter. …