Home Late Martian Weather! Highlights of the Martian Atmosphere Martian Temperature and Pressure Profiles Daily Martian Weather Report Information MGS Radio Science Team Publications Other Temperature and Pressure Profiles Images of the Martian Atmosphere

The MGS Radio Science Team (RST) delivers data products from its investigation of the martian atmosphere to NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS), where they are accessible to both planetary scientists and the general public. The MGS RST is also making these data products available directly through this web site. There is a label associated with each data product which describes its content and format. These labels are also available here. The MGS RST does not plan to provide software for reading and displaying the data products beyond what is included on this web site. The list below contains descriptions of the types of Radio Science data products which the RST has archived with PDS. The name of each data product type is linked to a form which may be used to access some or all of the data files of that type which have been delivered to PDS.

Radio Science Data Types

Standard Atmospheric Temperature-Pressure Profile (TPS)

Each TPS data file contains a vertical profile of the martian neutral atmosphere. The measurements were made with the radio occultation technique, which involves sounding the martian atmosphere with microwave radiation transmitted by the MGS spacecraft and received at tracking stations on Earth. Each TPS data file lists temperature and pressure versus planetocentric radius and geopotential. The uncertainties in temperature and pressure are given at each level. The profiles extend from the surface to about the 10-Pa pressure level; the vertical resolution is limited by diffraction to a few hundred meters.

Standard Occultation Summary (OCS)

Standard Occultation Summary (OCS) files each contain one-line summaries of experimental information and results from a series of TPS data files. The dates of the first and last radio occultation experiments included in each OCS file are encoded in the OCS file name.

Standard Electron Density Profile (EDS)

Each EDS data file contains a vertical profile of the martian ionosphere. The measurements were made with the radio occultation technique, which involves sounding the martian atmosphere with microwave radiation transmitted by the MGS spacecraft and received at tracking stations on Earth. Each EDS data file lists electron number density versus planetocentric radius and altitude above a reference areoid. The uncertainty in electron density is given at each level. The vertical resolution is limited by diffraction to a few hundred meters.