The opacity of some local Martian dust storms observed by the Viking IRTM |
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| Authors: | Garry E Hunt Elizabeth A Mitchell Alan R Peterfreund |
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| Institution: | Laboratory for Planetary Atmospheres, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London WCIE 6BT, England;Department of Geology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, USA |
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| Abstract: | In this paper we analyze some Viking infrared thermal mapping (IRTM) measurements of local Martian dust storms observed in the southern tropical region of the planet between Ls=225 and 262°. The derived opacities of these storms show that in the most opaque regions of the cloud, the optical thickness may be ≈6. Away from the individual clouds, the opacity is ≈2, which is still about four times the background level of dustiness in the Martian atmosphere. We find considerable structure in the derived opacity which will create corresponding variations in the atmospheric heating, which in turn may have an important feedback upon the local winds. |
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