In contrast to Earth, Mars's middle atmosphere appears driven by gravity waves

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The thermal impact of dust storms on Mars is significant, and is thought to play a similar role to that of water vapor in Earth's atmosphere. Credit: NASA CC0 A new study by researchers including those at the University of Tokyo revealed that atmospheric gravity waves play a crucial role in driving latitudinal air currents on Mars, particularly at high altitudes. The work has been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Planets. The findings, based on long-term atmospheric data, offer a fresh perspective on the behaviors of Mars' middle atmosphere, highlighting fundamental differences from Earth's. The study applied methods developed to explore Earth's atmosphere to quantitatively estimate the influence of gravity waves on Mars' planetary circulation. Despite it being a very cold planet, Mars i ... Read full article.