Unseasonal Enhancements of Quasi-6.5-Sol Waves in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars During Major Dust Storms

Abstract

Based on temperature data from the Mars Climate Sounder onboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, this study investigates quasi-6.5-sol waves (Q6.5SWs) in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) of Mars from Mars Year (MY) 30 to MY 36. We report, for the first time, unseasonal enhancements of Q6.5SWs in the mid-to-high latitudes of the SH, coinciding with three early dust storm events in MY31, MY34, and MY36. In contrast, Q6.5SW activity in the SH remains generally weak during dust storms in other Martian years. Our analysis suggests that the unseasonal enhancement of Q6.5SWs is primarily driven by significant temperature increases associated with dust storms, while variations in zonal mean zonal wind may also play a secondary role in modulating wave amplitudes.