The atmosphere warms and cools by season

Maximum atmospheric temperatures occur at the south pole at southern hemisphere solstice.

TES observed the atmosphere’s thermal structure warms and cools according to season and distance from the Sun. Maximum atmospheric temperatures occur at the south pole at southern hemisphere solstice.

The second panel of this multi-year plot built from TES data shows (reddish tints) that the atmosphere over southern latitudes is warmer in southern hemisphere summer than the atmosphere over the equivalent northern latitudes in northern summer. Also note the year-to-year variations.

References

  • Smith, M. D., J. C. Pearl, B. J. Conrath, and P. R. Christensen, Thermal Emission Spectrometer results: Mars atmospheric thermal structure and aerosol distribution, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 23929-23945, 2001.
  • Smith, M. D., J. C. Pearl, B. J. Conrath, and P. R. Christensen, One Martian year of atmospheric observations by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer, Geophys. Res. Letters, 28, 4263-4266, 2001.
  • Clancy, R. T., B. J. Sandor, M. J. Wolff, P. R. Christensen, M. D. Smith, J. C. Pearl, B. J. Conrath, and R. J. Wilson, Comparisons of Mars atmospheric temperatures retrieved from ground-based millimeter and Mars Global Surveyor infrared measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 9553-9572, 2000.
  • Clancy, R. T., B. J. Sandor, M. J. Wolff, P. R. Christensen, M. D. Smith, J. C. Pearl, B. J. Conrath, and R. J. Wilson, An intercomparison of ground-based millimeter, MGS TES, and Viking atmospheric temperature measurements: Seasonal and interannual variability of temperatures and dust loading in the global Mars atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 9553-9572, 2000.