PDS: The Planetary Atmospheres Node
Cover Page/Proposal Summary
ROSS-99 NRA 99-OSS-01
Date Due: 5/3/99
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This proposal shall be used and disclosed for evaluation purposes only, and a copy of this Government notice shall be applied to any reproduction or abstract thereof. Any authorized restrictive notices that the submitter places on this proposal shall also be strictly complied with. Disclosure of this proposal for any reason outside the Government evaluation purposes shall be made only to the extent authorized by the Government. |
| Proposal Type: New Proposal |
| Proposal Category: Dynamics |
| Major Equipment Proposal? No |
| Do you intend to submit an Education/Public Outreach (E/PO) proposal? Yes |
| Proposal Title: |
| Mesoscale and LES Modeling of the Martian Atmosphere: Wind Streaks and Dust Devils |
| Abbreviated Proposal Title: |
| Numerical Modeling of the Martian Atmosphere |
| Principal Investigator: |
| Dr.
Scot Rafkin Department of Meteorology San Jose State University Department of Meteorology One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192-0104 Phone: (408)924-5275 Fax: (408)924-5191 E-mail: rafkin@metsun1.sjsu.edu |
| Signature | Date |
| _____________________________________ | ____________ |
| Co-Investigators and Collaborators: | |||
| Type | Name | Affiliation | |
| Sci Collab | Dr. Roger Pielke Sr. | Colorado State University | pielke@atmos.colostate.edu |
| Sci Co-I | Dr. Robert Walko | Colorado State University | walko@tibet.atmos.colostate.edu | Sci Collab | Dr. Robert Haberle | NASA Ames | bhaberle@mail.arc.nasa.gov |
| Sci Collab | Dr. Ronald Greeley | Arizona State University | greeley@dione.la.asu.edu |
| E/PO Collab | Dr. Ellen Metzger | San Jose State University | metzger@geosun1.sjsu.edu |
Proposal Summary:
The proposed work investigates through numerical modeling the dynamics of the Martian atmosphere, and the interaction of the atmosphere with the surface. The scales of interest for this study are at the mesocale and smaller (spatial scales between 50 m and 100 km; time scales on the order of minutes to a day). Knowledge of atmosphere-surface interactions at these scales provides an important link in the interpretation of many wind-produced (aeolian) geologic features, and subsequently, in the understanding of the planet?s geologic history and atmospheric circulation. A feature of specific interest in this study is the wind streak, which is the result of deposition or deflation of dust upstream, or in the lee of topographic barriers such as craters, ridges, or isolated hills. The rearrangement of dust (or possibly sand) results in organized variations of albedo that are easily identifiable in the imagery from previous and ongoing missions. Another atmosphere-surface phenomenon of interest in this study is the dust devil. The contribution of dust devils to the maintenance of the global atmospheric dust load is investigated along with the dynamics, structure, and evolution of the convective boundary layer in which they are embedded. The primary tool for conducting this investigation is the Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS). MRAMS is a comprehensive modeling package designed for mesoscale and microscale atmospheric simulation over complex topography. MRAMS is a recent descendent of the widely used terrestrial model: the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System. An Education and Public Outreach proposal is submitted in conjunction with this proposal. The E/PO outlines summer workshops for local high school teachers and students framed around the recent Mars missions and investigations.
