Atmospheric Temperatures over Pathfinder Landing Site as
Measured by TES
Early morning atmospheric temperatures have been retrieved from
MGS/TES spectra over a portion of the northern hemisphere including the
Pathfinder lander site. The warmest temperatures of about -65 degrees
Fahrenheit are observed near the surface and equator. The temperature
observed near the surface at the Pathfinder lander site is about -85
degrees F, which is similar to that observed by Pathfinder. Temperatures
near the north pole dip to below -180 F. On Earth, the lowest temperature
ever recorded in the Antarctic is about -120 F, the temperature at the
tropopause (an altitude of 9 miles) is about -70 F, and the temperature
at a pressure level of 6 mbar (equal to that near the Mars surface) is
about -20 F. As the air becomes dustier, it becomes warmer; thus the
atmospheric temperatures surve as a monitor of dustiness. The plume of
warm air north of Pathfinder is correlated with high winds measured by
the TES. TES will continually observe the atmosphere, both to determine
the weather, and to search for dust storms.
