Frontier of detailed understanding of meteorology on Mars and approach to its forecasting with high-resolution atmospheric simulations

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K03980
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 17020:Atmospheric and hydrospheric sciences-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kuroda Takeshi 東北大学, 理学研究科, 助教 (40613394)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 火星 / 大気大循環モデル / 大気重力波 / 大気物質循環 / 表層水環境 / レゴリス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Calculations using an atmospheric model with a global resolution of approximately 1° were conducted to examine the impact of the global dust storm on Mars as observed in 2018 on the excitation and propagation of gravity waves. The results showed that the increase of stability led to a weakening of the excitation in the lower atmosphere, while the wave energy was enhanced due to changes in the zonal-mean wind field in the middle atmosphere. Also, the results of the atmospheric model were used to discuss the characteristic variations in temperature and wind speed fields recently observed. Furthermore, the simulation studies to investigate the possible diffusion of water vapor from the recurring slope lineae on the surface of Mars were conducted to discuss the observability of the diffusion, as well as the impact of the processes of water vapor adsorption by regolith on the water cycle on Mars. These efforts resulted in the publication of five peer-reviewed papers.

Free Research Field

惑星気象学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究成果の学術的意義は、火星大気の複雑な現象を高分解能大気モデルと観測データを組み合わせて解明することにある。特に全球規模のダストストームが与える細かな波動等への様々な影響、水蒸気の挙動など、従来の観測・モデル研究から明らかにされていない気象の謎に迫り、将来火星探査で行うべき観測を提案していくことを目指す。さらには火星の気象予報の実現に向けての根幹となるダストストームの生成・発展過程の理解に関しての新たな知見を得ることにつなげる。社会的にも将来の有人火星探査において重要かつ実用的な火星天気予報システム、及びエネルギー源確保や生命維持に必要な水資源探査に協力する体制を構築する足がかりとなる。