First Atmospheric Science Results from the Mars Exploration Rovers Mini-TES.
Thermal infrared spectra of the martian atmosphere taken by the Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) were used to determine the atmospheric temperatures in the planetary boundary layer and the column-integrated optical depth of aerosols. Mini-TES observations show the diurnal variation of the martian boundary layer thermal structure, including a near-surface superadiabatic layer during the afternoon and an inversion layer at night. Upward-looking Mini-TES observations show warm and cool parcels of air moving through the Mini-TES field of view on a time scale of 30 seconds. The retrieved dust optical depth shows a downward trend at both sites.
Smith
Michael D
MD
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. Michael.D.Smith@nasa.gov
Wolff
Michael J
MJ
Lemmon
Mark T
MT
Spanovich
Nicole
N
Banfield
Don
D
Budney
Charles J
CJ
Clancy
R Todd
RT
Ghosh
Amitabha
A
Landis
Geoffrey A
GA
Smith
Peter
P
Whitney
Barbara
B
Christensen
Philip R
PR
Squyres
Steven W
SW
D000465:Algorithms; D001272:Atmosphere; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D018535:Mars; D012621:Seasons; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide