Abstract
We characterize the vortex and dust devil activity at Jezero from
pressure and winds obtained with the MEDA instrument on Mars 2020 over
415 sols (Ls=6-213º). Vortices are abundant (4.9 vortices per sol with
pressure drops >0.5 Pa when correcting from gaps in
coverage) and peak at noon. At least one in every 5 vortices carries
dust from RDS-MEDA data, and intense vortices are more likely to carry
dust. Seasonal variability was small but dust devils were abundant
during a dust storm (Ls=152-156º). Vortices are more frequent and
intense over terrains with lower thermal inertia favoring a higher
daytime surface-to-air temperature gradient. We fit measurements of wind
and pressure during dust devil encounters to models of vortices, and
investigate their physical characteristics. Diameters range from 5 to
135 m with a mean of 20 m. Three 100-m size events passed within 30 m of
the rover. From the close encounters we estimate a dust devil activity
of 2.0-3.0 dust devils km$^{-2}$ sol$^{-1}$. A comparison
of MEDA observations with a Large Eddy Simulation of Jezero at Ls=45º
produces a similar result. We estimate that large dust devils with
diameters $>100$ m have a density of 0.1 dust devils
km-2sol-1, implying that dust lifting is dominated by the largest
vortices in the region. At least one vortex had a central pressure drop
of 9.0 Pa and internal winds of 25 ms-1. The MEDA wind sensors were
partially damaged during two dust devil encounters, and we detail these
events.