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Colaprete A, Barnes JR, Haberle RM, et al. Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics. Nature. 2005;435(7039):184-8doi: 10.1038/nature03561.
Colaprete, A., Barnes, J. R., Haberle, R. M., Hollingsworth, J. L., Kieffer, H. H., & Titus, T. N. (2005). Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics. Nature, 435(7039), 184-8. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03561
Colaprete, Anthony, et al. "Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics." Nature vol. 435,7039 (2005): 184-8. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03561
Colaprete A, Barnes JR, Haberle RM, Hollingsworth JL, Kieffer HH, Titus TN. Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics. Nature. 2005 May 12;435(7039):184-8. doi: 10.1038/nature03561. PMID: 15889086.
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Nature. 2005 May 12;435(7039):184-8. doi: 10.1038/nature03561.

Albedo of the south pole on Mars determined by topographic forcing of atmosphere dynamics.

Nature

Anthony Colaprete, Jeffrey R Barnes, Robert M Haberle, Jeffery L Hollingsworth, Hugh H Kieffer, Timothy N Titus

Affiliations

  1. NASA Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, Mountain View, California 94035, USA. [email protected]

PMID: 15889086 DOI: 10.1038/nature03561

Abstract

The nature of the martian south polar cap has remained enigmatic since the first spacecraft observations. In particular, the presence of a perennial carbon dioxide ice cap, the formation of a vast area of black 'slab ice' known as the Cryptic region and the asymmetric springtime retreat of the cap have eluded explanation. Here we present observations and climate modelling that indicate the south pole of Mars is characterized by two distinct regional climates that are the result of dynamical forcing by the largest southern impact basins, Argyre and Hellas. The style of surface frost deposition is controlled by these regional climates. In the cold and stormy conditions that exist poleward of 60 degrees S and extend 180 degrees in longitude west from the Mountains of Mitchel (approximately 30 degrees W), surface frost accumulation is dominated by precipitation. In the opposite hemisphere, the polar atmosphere is relatively warm and clear and frost accumulation is dominated by direct vapour deposition. It is the differences in these deposition styles that determine the cap albedo.

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