Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Studies of the Martian Atmosphere Over Jezero From Pressure Measurements. Issue 1 (13th January 2023) - Sánchez‐Lavega, A.
Abstract: The pressure sensors on Mars rover Perseverance measure the pressure field in the Jezero crater on regular hourly basis starting in sol 15 after landing. The present study extends up to sol 460 encompassing the range of solar longitudes from L s ∼ 13°–241° (Martian Year (MY) 36). The data show the changing daily pressure cycle, the sol‐to‐sol seasonal evolution of the mean pressure field driven by the CO2 sublimation and deposition cycle at the poles, the characterization of up to six components of the atmospheric tides and their relationship to dust content in the atmosphere. They also show the presence of wave disturbances with periods 2–5 sols, exploring their baroclinic nature, short period oscillations (mainly at night‐time) in the range 8–24 min that we interpret as internal gravity waves, transient pressure drops with duration ∼1–150 s produced by vortices, and rapid turbulent fluctuations. We also analyze the effects on pressure measurements produced by a regional dust storm over Jezero at L s ∼ 155°. Plain Language Summary: Mars rover Perseverance landed on 18 February 2021 on Jezero crater. It carries a weather station that has measured, among other quantities, surface atmospheric pressure. This study covers the first 460 sols or Martian days, a period that comprises a large part of the Martian year, including spring, summer and a part of autumn. Each sol, the pressure has significant changes, and those can be understood as a result of the so‐called thermal tides, oscillations of pressure with periods that are fractions of one sol. The mean value of pressure each sols changes with the season, driven by the CO2 sublimation in summer and condensation in winter at both poles. We report oscillations of the mean daily pressure with periods of a few sols, related to waves at distant parts of the planet. Within single sols, we find oscillations of night pressure with periods of tens of minutes, caused by gravity waves. Looking at shorter time intervals, we find the signature of the close passage of vortices such as dust devils, and very rapid daytime turbulent fluctuations. We finally analyze the effects on all these phenomena produced by a regional dust storm that evolved over Jezero in early January 2022. Key Points: We study the pressure measurements performed on the first 460 sols by the rover Perseverance M2020 The daily and seasonal cycles and the evolution of six tidal components and their relationship to dust content are presented We characterize long‐period waves (sols), short‐period gravity waves (min.), rapid pressure fluctuations and a regional dust storm impact