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[33.07] Large-scale extratropical weather disturbances in Mars' southern hemisphere: Influences of the great impact basins

J.L. Hollingsworth (NASA Ames Research Center/SJSUF)

The nature of large-scale extratropical synoptic disturbances in Mars' southern hemisphere during late autumn through midspring is investigated using the NASA Ames Mars general circulation model. This fully global circulation model imposes realistic dust loading similar to that recently measured by the Mars Global Surveyor thermal emission spectrometer (MGS/TES). The influences of the zonally asymmetric topography on southern large-scale weather disturbances is examined in detail. Comparisons of simulations that adapt Mars' full topography with simulations that apply synthetic topographies emulating essential features of the southern extratropics indicate that Mars' transient barotropic/baroclinic eddies are significantly altered by the great impact basins of the southern hemisphere (e.g., Argyre and Hellas). Further, the occurrence of a southern storm zone (i.e., storm track) is keyed particularly to the western hemisphere via orographic influences arising from the Tharsis highlands and the Argyre impact basin.

The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: jeffh@humbabe.arc.nasa.gov

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #3
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.