A user-orientated column modelling framework for efficient analyses of the Martian atmosphere

Abstract. As spacecraft missions return ever more data from Mars additional tools will be required to explore and analyse these datasets efficiently. To streamline research into the atmosphere of Mars a user-orientated modelling capability is developed that enables automatic initialisation and running of a column model. As a demonstration we utilise the modelling framework to provide additional verification for the University of Helsinki/Finnish Meteorological Institute Mars column model temperature profiles at the higher altitudes. We utilise the framework at well characterised landing sites to understand the model's applicability and to identify future opportunities for modifications to the framework. We do this by using the framework to compare the column model to temperature soundings made by Mars Reconaissance Orbiter. We find the column model is able to reproduce the observed lapse rates and average temperatures closely in most cases except for a 20–60 K increase over the northern hemisphere mid-winter. By incorporating an adiabatic heating term into the column model we suggest this discrepancy is likely due to the adiabatic compression of down welling air. We estimate maximum downward vertical velocities at the VL-1 and VL-2 latitudes of 8 and 12 cm s −1 at altitudes of 15 and 20 km respectively over the winter solstice. The fitting approach developed here provides a way to independently estimate or observe the vertical motion in the Martian atmosphere. We have introduced new application software that can quickly find and display the requested data and can be immediately analysed using the included tools. We have demonstrated the potential of this software application with a glimpse into the upper atmosphere of Mars and identified future modifications to the framework.