A NUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF THE MARTIAN POLAR-CAP BREEZE

A mathematical model for the Martian polar cap breeze was constructed in part from work previously done by others on the terrestrial sea bre eze. With this model a numerical simulation corresponding to the South ern Hemisphere winter season was made. The results obtained with the p roposed model show that the Martian polar cap breeze is a well defined system with some similarities to the terrestrial sea breeze. At the t ime of maximum intensity, the largest values of vertical velocities ar e about 10 cm/s and occur at heights between 850-1250 m. The largest v alues of horizontal velocities are about 15 m/s. A ''polar cap breeze front'' is clearly discernible in the results. The rate of advance of this front is at an average of about 10 km/h.