Scientists solving meteorological mysteries on Mars

The research was led by Larryguan, a graduate student in the Department of Physics in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Hawaii, under the guidance of his mentors, Professor Li Liming of the Department of Physics and Professor Jiang Xun of the Department of Earth and Mathematics. For the first time, scientists have mapped the meridional profile of Mars’ radiative energy budget (REB), which represents the balance or imbalance between absorbed solar energy and emitted thermal energy across latitudes. Globally, energy surplus leads to global warming, while energy shortage leads to global cooling. Additionally, the meridional profile of the Martian REB fundamentally affects weather and climate patterns on the Red Planet.

The findings are published in a new paper just published AGU progress It will be featured in AGU’s scientific magazine EOS.

“The work to establish the first meridional radiation energy budget profile on Mars is noteworthy,” Guan said. “Understanding Earth’s large-scale climate and atmospheric circulation relies heavily on REB profiles, so having the Mars profile allows for critical climate comparisons , and lay the foundation for Martian meteorology.”

The profile, based on long-term observations from orbiting spacecraft, provides a detailed comparison of Mars’ REB with Earth’s REB, revealing significant differences in the way each planet receives and radiates energy. While Earth exhibits an energy surplus in the tropics and a deficit in the polar regions, Mars exhibits the opposite configuration.

“On Earth, energy excess in the tropics leads to warming and upward movement of the atmosphere, while polar energy shortages lead to cooling and downward movement of the atmosphere,” Jiang explained. “These atmospheric movements greatly affect our Earth’s weather and climate. However, on Mars, we observe both a massive energy surplus and a tropical energy shortage.”

Guan said this surplus is particularly evident in Mars’ southern hemisphere in spring, playing a key role in driving atmospheric circulation on Mars and triggering global dust storms, the most prominent feature of Martian weather. These massive storms can envelope the entire planet, significantly changing the distribution of energy and providing a dynamic element that affects Martian weather patterns and climate.

“The interaction between dust storms and REBs, and with polar ice dynamics, reveals complex feedback processes that may shape Martian weather patterns and long-term climate stability,” Guan said.

The Earth’s global energy imbalance has recently been discovered, contributing as much to global warming as increases in greenhouse gases. Mars presents a unique environment due to its thin atmosphere and lack of human influence. The research team is currently studying potential long-term energy imbalances on Mars and their impact on the evolution of Earth’s climate.

“The REB differences between the two planets are truly fascinating, so continued monitoring will deepen our understanding of Mars climate dynamics,” Li said. “This study not only deepens our understanding of the Red Planet, but also provides important insights into planetary atmospheric processes.”