[3.05] The Mars Thermospheric LMD General Circulation Model: First comparisons with MGS aerobraking data

DPS 35th Meeting, 1-6 September 2003
Session 3. Mars Atmosphere I
Oral, Chairs: T. A. Livengood and A. Colaprete, Tuesday, September 2, 2003, 10:30am-12:00noon, DeAnza I-II

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[3.05] The Mars Thermospheric LMD General Circulation Model: First comparisons with MGS aerobraking data

M. Angelats i Coll, F. Forget, F. Hourdin, Y. Wanherdrick (LMD, Paris, France), M.A. Lopez-Valverde, F. Gonzalez-Galindo (Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Granada, Spain), S.R. Lewis, P.L. Read (Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK)

The LMD-AOPP Mars General Circulation Model developed jointly by LMD (Paris), AOPP (Oxford) and IAA (Granada) has been extended into the thermosphere. The model reaches a height of approximately 240 km and includes the effects of thermal conduction, molecular viscosity, EUV absorption and molecular diffusion of species, which are relevant processes at high altitudes. 11 species of the carbon, oxygen and hydrogen families are advected, diffused and chemically active in the simulations. N₂ is also included and considered as inert. The model also includes non-LTE effects in the upper atmosphere. Simulation results will be analysed and preliminary comparisons with Mars Global Surveyor Accelerometer Data will be discussed.

The extension of the LMD MARS GCM to thermospheric heights renders our model the first to be able to consistently couple all atmospheric regions and processes from the ground to the exosphere.

This research was funded under CNES and ESTEC Contract 11369/95/NL/JG

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