Abstract
AbstractWe present the first general circulation model simulations that quantify and reproduce patches of extremely cold air required for CO2 condensation and cloud formation in the Martian mesosphere. They are created by subgrid‐scale gravity waves (GWs) accounted for in the model with the interactively implemented spectral parameterization. Distributions of GW‐induced temperature fluctuations and occurrences of supersaturation conditions are in a good agreement with observations of high‐altitude CO2 ice clouds. Our study confirms the key role of GWs in facilitating CO2 cloud formation, discusses their tidal modulation, and predicts clouds at altitudes higher than have been observed to date.
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