Abstract
Observations of dark Martian wind streaks not associated with visible topographic points of origin (‘coalesced dark streaks’) show these features to favor regions with slopes of 1°–10°. To investigate the circulation over such slopes, we adopt a Boussinesq fluid and assume a constant eddy diffusivity parameterization for small‐scale mixing. The equations of motion are scaled to determine the range of slopes over which a strong local circulation due to slope winds can exist. For nighttime conditions, our estimated range compares well with the observed range of slopes favored by coalesced dark streaks. For daytime conditions, the slope wind solution is not valid. A simple one‐dimensional analytic model is solved to determine friction velocities and velocity and temperature profiles. For reasonable choices of the input parameters, we find friction velocities and wind velocities suggestive of active downslope eolian transport on slopes of 1°–10°. Friction velocities are largest over surfaces with low thermal inertia and large roughness length.
Published Version
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