The convective boundary layer on Mars: Some 1-D simulation results

Abstract

The daytime convective boundary layer (CBL) of Mars and the transition to it after the cold night is studied on a warm dusty sol at the rover Spirit using temperature profiles from the miniature thermal emission spectrometer (mini-TES) and a 1-D model. The model’s net solar fluxes are linear in z in the CBL while the thermal fluxes decay logarithmically from about 8m upward, due mainly to the emissivity properties and density of CO2. The induced strong radiative heating of the lower CBL is so well compensated by turbulent cooling (with an elevated maximum in the sensible heat flux H) that the growth of the CBL is uniform by the model, as observed by the mini-TES. Hence the net energy fluxes are linear and the shape of H in the lower CBL can be obtained as a residual. Moisture evolution is also considered although without validation.