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Viking-1 meteorological measurements - First impressionsA preliminary evaluation is given of in situ meteorological measurements made by Viking 1 on Mars. The data reported show that: (1) the atmosphere has approximate volume mixing ratios of 1.5% argon, 3% nitrogen, and 95% carbon dioxide; (2) the diurnal temperature range is large and regular, with a sunrise minimum of about 188 K and a midafternoon maximum near 244 K; (3) air and ground temperatures coincide quite closely during the night, but ground temperature exceeds air temperature near midday by as much as 25 C; (4) the winds exhibit a marked diurnal cycle; and (5) a large diurnal pressure variation with an afternoon minimum and an early-morning maximum parallels the wind pattern. The variations are explained in terms of familiar meteorological processes. It is suggested that latent heat is unlikely to play an important role on Mars because no evidence has been observed for traveling synoptic-scale disturbances such as those that occur in the terrestrial tropics.
Document ID
19770028936
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Hess, S. L.
(Florida State University Tallahassee, Fla., United States)
Henry, R. M.
(NASA Langley Research Center Newport News, Va., United States)
Leovy, C. B.
(California State Univ. Fullerton, CA, United States)
Tillman, J. E.
(Washington, University Seattle, Wash., United States)
Ryan, J. A.
(California State University Fullerton, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1976
Publication Information
Publication: American Meteorological Society
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
77A11788
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-9693
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-11854
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS1-9694
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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