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An Extended View of Mars OzoneWe present an ongoing effort to characterize chemistry in Mars' atmosphere in multiple seasons on timescales longer than flight missions through coordinated efforts by GSFC's HIPWAC spectrometer and Mars Express SPICAM, archival measurements, and tests/application of photochemical models. The trace species ozone (O3) is an effective probe of atmospheric chemistry because it is destroyed by chemically active odd hydrogen species (HO(sub x)) that result from water vapor photolysis. Observed ozone abundance on Mars is a critical test for three-dimensional photochemistry coupled general circulation models (GCM) that make specific predictions for the spatial, diurnal, and seasonal behavior of ozone and related chemistry and climatological conditions. Coordinated measurements by HIPWAC and SPICAM quantitatively linked mission data to the 23-year GSFC ozone data record and also revealed unanticipated inter-decadal variability of same-season ozone abundances, a possible indicator of changing cloud activity (heterogeneous sink for HO(sub x)). A detailed study of long-term conditions is critical to characterizing the predictability of Mars' seasonal chemical behavior, particularly in light of the implications of and the lack of explanation for reported methane behavior.
Document ID
20110015292
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Fast, Kelly (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2011
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.ABS.4996.2011
Meeting Information
Meeting: EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2011
Location: Nantes
Country: France
Start Date: September 30, 2011
End Date: October 8, 2011
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX08AE38A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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