Probing Dust and Water in Martian Atmosphere with Far-Infrared Frequency Spacecraft Occultation

TL;DR

This paper proposes using far-infrared spacecraft occultation to obtain comprehensive, global measurements of dust and temperature in the Martian atmosphere, surpassing current limitations of existing instruments.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method employing far-infrared spacecraft occultation to measure Martian atmospheric dust and temperature globally and continuously.

Findings

Far-infrared occultation can measure dust and temperature from surface to top of atmosphere.

This method offers improved spatial and temporal coverage over current instruments.

Small satellite constellations could track dust storm development globally.

Abstract

Airborne dust plays an active role in determining the thermal structure and chemical composition of the present-day atmosphere of Mars and possibly the planet's climate evolution over time through radiative--convective and cloud microphysics processes. Thus, accurate measurements of the distribution and variability of dust are required. Observations from the Mars Global Surveyor/Thermal Emission Spectrometer Mars Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter/Mars Climate Sounder and Mars Express/Fourier Transform Spectrometer and the Curiosity Rover have limited capability to measure dust. We show that spacecraft occultation of the Martian atmosphere at far-infrared frequencies between 1 and 10 THz can provide the needed global and temporal data on atmospheric dust by providing co-located measurements of temperature and dust opacity from the top of the atmosphere all the way down to the surface. In addition, spacecraft occultation by a small-satellite constellation could provide global measurements of the development of dust storms.