Diurnal Cycle of Rapid Air Temperature Fluctuations at Jezero Crater: Probability Distributions, Exponential Tails, Scaling, and Intermittency

We study the diurnal cycle of rapid thermal fluctuations observed by the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer, onboard the Perseverance rover at Jezero Crater, as a function of local time and season. In this context, rapid refers to periods between 15 min and half a second. Some insight is also provided into wind fluctuations that are the base for most of the existing theories on turbulent flows. The results expand the observations from previous Mars missions, namely Viking, Mars Pathfinder, and Phoenix, and they add to our knowledge of near-surface fluctuations on Mars. (a) Probability distribution functions of the fluctuations are determined and found to have exponential tails. This means that models that represent the interaction within the environment and with the surface as a stochastic forcing need to account for the sudden events responsible for the exponential tails. (b) Power density spectra are calculated and show several dynamical regimes with different slopes associated to forcing, an intermediate regime, and a higher frequency regime. All change with time of the day. The results imply that the fastest regime is not a universal scenario for the temperature fluctuations near the surface. (c) The scale dependence of the fluctuations confirms the existence of intermittent outbursts associated to the slower fluctuations, possibly associated to the larger scale structures, and explains why the spectral density slopes do not follow Kolmogorov's law. Understanding the role of larger scale structures would help refine scaling theories of the near-surface Martian atmosphere and its interactions with the surface.

Automated summary

We investigate the rapid thermal fluctuations observed by the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer on the Perseverance rover at Jezero Crater, and their dependence on local time and season. The study also sheds light on wind fluctuations that contribute to turbulent flows and expands our knowledge of near-surface fluctuations on Mars. The findings highlight the need for stochastic models to account for sudden events that cause exponential tails in the probability distribution functions of fluctuations.