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Perseverance MEDA Atmospheric Pressure Observations - Initial Results
  • +19
  • Ari-Matti Harri,
  • Mark Paton,
  • Maria Hieta,
  • Jouni Polkko,
  • Claire Newman,
  • Jorge Pla-García,
  • Joonas Leino,
  • Terhi Mäkinen,
  • Janne Kauhanen,
  • Iina Jaakonaho,
  • Agustín Sánchez-Lavega,
  • Ricardo Hueso,
  • Maria Genzer,
  • Ralph D. Lorenz,
  • Mark T Lemmon,
  • Alvaro Vicente-Retortillo,
  • Leslie Tamppari,
  • Daniel Viúdez-Moreiras,
  • Manuel de la Torre Juárez,
  • Hannu Savijärvi,
  • Jose Antonio Rodríguez-Manfredi,
  • German Martinez
Ari-Matti Harri
Finnish Meteorological Institute

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Mark Paton
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Maria Hieta
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Jouni Polkko
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Claire Newman
Aeolis Research
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Jorge Pla-García
Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA)
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Joonas Leino
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Terhi Mäkinen
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Janne Kauhanen
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Iina Jaakonaho
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Agustín Sánchez-Lavega
Universidad del Pais Vasco UPV/EHU
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Ricardo Hueso
UPV/EHU
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Maria Genzer
Finnish Meteorological Institute
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Ralph D. Lorenz
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
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Mark T Lemmon
Space Science Institute
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Alvaro Vicente-Retortillo
Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA)
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Leslie Tamppari
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Daniel Viúdez-Moreiras
Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC)
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Manuel de la Torre Juárez
Jet Propulsion Laboratory- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
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Hannu Savijärvi
University of Helsinki
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Jose Antonio Rodríguez-Manfredi
Centro de Astrobiología
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German Martinez
Lunar and Planetary Institute
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Abstract

The Mars2020 Perseverance Rover landed successfully on the Martian surface on the Jezero Crater floor (18.44°N, 77.45°E) at Martian solar longitude, $L_s$, $\sim$5 in February 2021. Since then it has produced highly valuable environmental measurements with a versatile scientific payload including the MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer) suite of environmental sensors. One of the MEDA systems is the PS pressure sensor system which weighs 40 grams and has an estimated absolute accuracy of better than 3.5 Pa and a resolution of 0.13 Pa. We present initial results from the first 414 sols of Martian atmospheric surface pressure observations by the PS whose performance was found to meet its specifications. Observed sol-averaged atmospheric pressures follow an anticipated pattern of pressure variation in the course of the advancing season and are consistent with data from other landing missions. The observed diurnal pressure amplitude varies by $\sim$2-5 \% of the sol-averaged pressure, with absolute amplitude 10-35 Pa in an approximately direct relationship with airborne dust. During a regional dust storm, which began at $L_s~135^\circ$ the diurnal pressure amplitude roughly doubles. The diurnal pressure variations were found to be remarkably sensitive to the seasonal evolution of the atmosphere. In particular analysis of the diurnal pressure signature revealed diagnostic information likely related to the regional scale structure of the atmosphere. Comparison of Perseverance pressure observations to data from other landers reveals the global scale seasonal behaviour of Mars’ atmosphere.
08 May 2023Submitted to ESS Open Archive
25 May 2023Published in ESS Open Archive