Observation of Martian Polar CO2 clouds using the MOLA and TES Instruments: An Exploratory Study

The Martian polar winter clouds were examined using both Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data and Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data, with the hope that the chemical composition of the clouds could be determined. I begin by replicating some of the results of Ivanov and Muhleman (2001) by locating some south polar winter clouds of Mars. Locations, altitudes and brightness temperatures of the clouds suggest that they could be CO2 clouds. The spectral brightness temperature data also showed that over a cloudy region there was an odd emission centered at approx. 703 cm-1, and some unexplained apparent periodicity in the spectral Tb as well. Two possible explanations for these odd results are then proposed: CO2 ice and/or mineral dust, as well as instrumental sources of error (systemic).