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Cold Spots in the Martian Polar Regions: Evidence of Carbon Dioxide Depletion?Regions of very low, rapidly varying brightness temperatures have been observed near the martian winter poles by several spacecraft. One possibility is that the CO2 condensation temperature is lowered by depletion of CO2 in the air at the surface. We estimate the rate at which this low-molecular-weight air would disperse into the high-molecular-weight air above and show that it is generally faster than the rate of supply. This dispersal could be prevented if there is a strong temperature inversion (warm air above colder air) near the surface. Without an inversion, the entire atmospheric column could become depleted. However, depleted columns take a long time to form, and they are inconsistent with the rapid fluctuations in the cold spot locations and temperatures. Because low-altitude temperature inversions cannot be ruled out by existing observations, CO2 depletion is still a viable explanation for the martian cold spots.
Document ID
20020049434
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Weiss, Benjamin P.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Ingersoll, Andrew P.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2000
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Publisher: Academic Press
Volume: 144
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-4191
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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