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A Colaprete (SETI / NASA Ames), R. M. Haberle (NASA Ames), T. L. Segura, O. B. Toon (University of Colorado), K. Zahnle (NASA Ames)
With respect to early Mars, two things are undoubtedly true: (1) there were numerous impacts by objects larger than 10 km in diameter, and (2) these impacts would have dramatic climate effects. Reported here are initial results of post impact climate simulations using the Ames Mars General Circulation Model (MGCM). A hydrological cycle has been incorporated into the Ames MGCM to explore what happens to impact injected water vapor. The hydrological cycle includes clouds, precipitation and surface exchange. In these simulations, an initial warm and wet atmosphere, like that which would immediately follow an impact, is allowed to evolve back to a steady state. It is shown that even for relatively small impactors (D < 50 km), substantial localized rainfall can occur.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35 #4
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.