COMPARISON OF MICROWAVE OBSERVATIONS OF MARTIAN TEMPERATURE AND WINDS WITH GENERAL CIRCULATION MODEL SIMULATIONS

Microwave observations of the temperature and wind in the middle atmosphere of Mars are compared with the results of simulations with the Martian general circulation model. The simulated global-mean mesospheric temperature during a northern summer solstice is ~10 K lower than in spring and autumn equinoxes, which is consistent with the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope observation in 1996–1997, although the absolute values are 30–40 K higher than in the observations. The wind velocity in the middle atmosphere in the model is comparable to the observations, except that the easterly wind in the afternoon is ~100ms⁻¹ weaker. A brief discussion for the discrepancies between the model and observation is provided.