The near-surface nighttime atmospheric water vapor concentrations infe
rred by Ryan et al. (J. A. Ryan, R. D. Sharman, and R. D. Lucich 1982,
J. Geophys. Res. 87, 7279-7284) from Viking Lander air temperature me
asurements are a factor of 2-3 lower than the same quantities estimate
d from daytime atmospheric column water vapor abundances observed from
the Viking Orbiters. We show that a physical model of the atmospheric
boundary layer and regolith can produce a nighttime depletion of this
magnitude by diffusion of water into the regolith and adsorption onto
regolith grains, Quantitative validation of the model is not possible
at present due to the lack of direct measurements of the near-surface
atmospheric water vapor concentration and by uncertainties regarding
surface regolith and atmospheric boundary layer properties. However, i
f the diurnal exchange of water vapor with the surface is as large as
is suggested by the Viking Lander and Orbiter measurements, then the e
xchange of water between the atmosphere and regolith also is important
in the seasonal cycle of water vapor. Further characterization of the
se processes can be made using measurements from the various landing s
ite and atmospheric profiling experiments to be conducted by the Mars
Pathfinder and Mars Surveyor Lander and Orbiter missions. (C) 1997 Aca
demic Press.