A Martian thermosphere/ionosphere general circulation model

A self-consistent global three dimensional model of the upper Martian thermosphere has been written to study the dynamics, temperature and composition of the neutral and plasma gases. It calculates self-consistently the composition of three major species, CO2 N2 and O, and empirically four minor species, Ar, NO, O2 and CO. It solves improved versions of: the time dependent momentum, energy and continuity equations as described by Fuller-Rowel, [1981]. A comprehensive radiation scheme is included, dealing with radiative transport between the atmospherie layers in the EUV (0.2-l00nm), UV (137.5-l72.5nm) and IR (15um) ranges. The model follows a pressure level system covering a height range of 60km to around 250km. It includes an ionosphere handling chemistry for CO2 , CO', O2', O', N2,' and Ar', a lower boundary based on data from the Mars climate Database |MCD| |Lewis et al 1999|, a Lindzen gravity wave scheme and a tidal scheme. The model's predictions have been compared with experimental observations, mainly from the Viking, Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor space missions and other modelling work, with general agreement for major and minor neutral species, ion composition, winds and energies