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A.F.C. Bridger (San Jose State University), D. Banfield (Cornell University), J.L. Hollingsworth (NASA Ames Research Center)
Initial simulations of stationary, orographically-forced waves in Mars' atmosphere with the NASA Ames MGCM yield wave structures broadly in line with theoretical expectations and with MGS-TES observations. However, there are some differences between observations and simulations. Perhaps the most obvious is that the MGCM predicts much larger amplitudes of wave 1 during southern midwinter [O(20K)], compared to northern midwinter [O(4K)]. On the other hand, observations from the first mapping year of TES indicate comparable amplitudes.
Reasons for this discrepancy are explored, with a focus on three aspects: (a) the degree to which the observed background winds and temperatures are reproduced in the model (with implications for refractive indices); (b) overall dust loading and distribution, and its implications for stationary wave structures; and (c) the representation of large-scale topographic forcing in the GCM, including the possible need for an envelope orography.