A Lorenz/Boer energy budget for the atmosphere of Mars from a “reanalysis” of spacecraft observations

Tabataba-Vakili, Fachreddin; Read, Anna; Lewis, Stephen; Montabone, Luca; Ruan, Tao; Wang, Bo; Valeanu, Alexandru and Young, Roland M. B. (2015). A Lorenz/Boer energy budget for the atmosphere of Mars from a “reanalysis” of spacecraft observations. Geophysical Research Letters, 42(20) pp. 8320–8327.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL065659

URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015GL0...

Abstract

We calculate a Lorenz energy budget for the Martian atmosphere from reanalysis derived from Mars Global Surveyor data for Mars years 24–27. We present global, annual mean energy and conversion rates per unit area and per unit mass and compare these to Earth data. The directions of the energy conversion terms for Mars are similar to Earth, with the exception of the barotropic conversion between zonal and eddy kinetic energy reservoirs. Further, seasonal and hemispheric decomposition reveals a strong conversion between zonal energy reservoirs over the year, but these balance each other out in global and annual mean. On separating the diurnal timescale, the contribution to the conversion terms and eddy kinetic energy for diurnal and shorter timescales in many cases (especially during planet-encircling dust storms) exceeds the contribution of longer timescales. This suggests that thermal tides have a significant effect on the generation of eddy kinetic energy.

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About

  • Item ORO ID
  • 45065
  • Item Type
  • Journal Item
  • ISSN
  • 0094-8276
  • Project Funding Details
  • Funded Project NameProject IDFunding Body
    Open University Consolidated Grant Phase 1 (SP-11-010-GW)ST/J001597/1STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
    Case for Support for Modelling and Data Assimilation Science Co-I on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. (SP-10-073-SL)ST/I003096/1STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
    Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at the Open University (SP-12-089-MG)ST/L000776/1STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
    Understanding Planet Mars With Advanced Remote-sensing Datasets and Synergistic studiesNot SetEC (European Commission): FP (inc.Horizon2020 & ERC schemes)
    (Aurora Studentship) Martian Regional Dust Storms: Implications for Entry, Descent and LandingST/M00306X/1UK Space Agency (UKSA)
    GrantNNX13AK02GNASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
  • Keywords
  • Mars; Lorenz energy cycle; hemispheres; seasons; diurnal tides
  • Academic Unit or School
  • Other Departments > Other Departments
    Other Departments
    Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) > Physical Sciences
    Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
  • Research Group
  • ?? space ??
  • Copyright Holders
  • © 2015 American Geophysical Union
  • Depositing User
  • Stephen Lewis

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