Error analysis for the Mariner‐6 and ‐7 occultation experiments

Abstract

The Mariner‐6 and ‐7 occultation experiments provide sets of Doppler residuals from which physical properties of the Martian atmosphere, such as the ionospheric electron‐density distribution and the lower‐atmosphere temperature profile, may be derived. The Doppler residuals contain both systematic and random errors. The former are removed during the data reduction, and the latter are analyzed to yield error limits on the derived physical properties of the atmosphere.