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arXiv · 1505.04472

Gravity waves and high-altitude CO$_2$ ice cloud formation in the Martian atmosphere

Erdal Yiğit·Alexander S. Medvedev·Paul Hartogh
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Abstract

We present the first general circulation model simulations that quantify and reproduce patches of extremely cold air required for CO$_2$ condensation and cloud formation in the Martian mesosphere. They are created by subgrid-scale gravity waves (GWs) accounted for in the model with the interactively implemented spectral parameterization. Distributions of GW-induced temperature fluctuations and occurrences of supersaturation conditions are in a good agreement with observations of high-altitude CO$_2$ ice clouds. Our study confirms the key role of GWs in facilitating CO$_2$ cloud formation, discusses their tidal modulation, and predicts clouds at altitudes higher than have been observed to date.

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astro-ph.EPphysics.ao-phphysics.flu-dyn

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Erdal Yiğit, Alexander S. Medvedev, Paul Hartogh. 2015-05-17. Gravity waves and high-altitude CO$_2$ ice cloud formation in the Martian atmosphere. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015gl064275

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