Martian dust storm impact on atmospheric H 2 O and D/H observed by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

[en] Global dust storms on Mars are rare 1,2 but can affect the Martian atmosphere for several months. They can cause changes in atmospheric dynamics and inflation of the atmosphere 3 , primarily owing to solar heating of the dust 3 . In turn, changes in atmospheric dynamics can affect the distribution of atmospheric water vapour, with potential implications for the atmospheric photochemistry and climate on Mars 4 . Recent observations of the water vapour abundance in the Martian atmosphere during dust storm conditions revealed a high-altitude increase in atmospheric water vapour that was more pronounced at high northern latitudes 5,6 , as well as a decrease in the water column at low latitudes 7,8 . Here we present concurrent, high-resolution measurements of dust, water and semiheavy water (HDO) at the onset of a global dust storm, obtained by the NOMAD and ACS instruments onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. We report the vertical distribution of the HDO/H 2 O ratio (D/H) from the planetary boundary layer up to an altitude of 80 kilometres. Our findings suggest that before the onset of the dust storm, HDO abundances were reduced to levels below detectability at altitudes above 40 kilometres. This decrease in HDO coincided with the presence of water-ice clouds. During the storm, an increase in the abundance of H 2 O and HDO was observed at altitudes between 40 and 80 kilometres. We propose that these increased abundances may be the result of warmer temperatures during the dust storm causing stronger atmospheric circulation and preventing ice cloud formation, which may confine water vapour to lower altitudes through gravitational fall and subsequent sublimation of ice crystals 3 . The observed changes in H 2 O and HDO abundance occurred within a few days during the development of the dust storm, suggesting a fast impact of dust storms on the Martian atmosphere. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

Disciplines :

Space science, astronomy & astrophysics

Author, co-author :

Vandaele, A. C.; Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium

Korablev, O.; Space Research Institute (IKI), Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Moscow, Russian Federation

Daerden, F.; Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium

Aoki, S.; Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium

Thomas, I. R.; Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (IASB-BIRA), Brussels, Belgium

Altieri, F.; Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (IAPS/INAF), Rome, Italy

López-Valverde, M.; Instituto de Astrofìsica de Andalucia (IAA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Granada, Spain

Villanueva, G.; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States

Liuzzi, G.; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States

Smith, M. D.; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States

More authors (57 more)

Other collaborator :

Bauduin, Simon ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'aérospatiale et mécanique > Ingénierie des véhicules terrestres

Gérard, Jean-Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO)

Gkouvelis, Leonardos ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Hubert, Benoît ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Ritter, Birgit ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Vander Auwera, Jean; Université libre de Bruxelles - ULB

Language :

English

Title :

Martian dust storm impact on atmospheric H 2 O and D/H observed by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Publication date :

April 2019

Journal title :

Nature

ISSN :

0028-0836

eISSN :

1476-4687

Publisher :

Nature Publishing Group, United Kingdom

Volume :

568

Pages :

521

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Funders :

BELSPO - Politique scientifique fédérale [BE]

Available on ORBi :

since 08 May 2019

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