Phase II Final Report - NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts

Planetary Exploration Using Biomimetics
An Entomopter for Flight on Mars
The second profile is a general atmospheric model, not specific to any location, generated to
provide a rough estimate of the atmospheric conditions at any location on the planet. It provides
density, temperature, pressure, and speed-of-sound data for elevations of -5 km (below the mean
surface level) to 120 km above the surface [27].
The third profile was generated using the Mars-GRAM atmospheric simulation tool. This profile
was generated for a specific location on Mars, Parana Valles (-25°, 11°). It contains information
on density, temperature, pressure, speed of sound, and viscosity for altitudes of 2.38 km to 20
km [48].
The fourth and last profile was also generated using the Mars-GRAM atmospheric simulation
tool. This profile was generated for a specific location on Mars, Utopia Planitia (57°, 235°). It
contains information on density, temperature, pressure, speed of sound, and viscosity for altitudes
of -1.74 km to 20 km [48].
Significant data was also collected on the Mars atmosphere during the recent Pathfinder mission.
For the first 30 days, surface pressure at the landing site underwent substantial daily variations
of 0.2 to 0.3 mbar, which were associated primarily with the large thermal tides in the thin
Mars atmosphere. Daily pressure cycles were characterized by a significant pressure change
throughout the day period. This is shown in Figure 2-12, and the pressure change over a 30-day
period is shown in Figure 2-13.
The near-surface temperature on Mars is greatly influenced by the surface temperature cycle
(surface heating during the day and radiative cooling at night due to the low density of the Mars
atmosphere). At sunrise, the atmosphere is typically stable, and cool, dense air lies near the surface.
As the surface warms the air mass is heated, and by early morning begins to rise. As the
heating continues the atmosphere becomes unstable. This causes temperature fluctuations on the
order of 15 °K to 20 °K, during the remainder of the morning and early afternoon. Later in the
afternoon the surface cools, the atmospheric stability increases, and the temperature fluctuations
decrease.
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Phase II Final Report