Diurnal temperature cycle models and performances on Martian surface using in-situ and satellite data

Abstract

Martian surface temperature and its diurnal variations play a key role in studying Mars land-atmosphere interactions. However, accurate Diurnal Temperature Cycle (DTC) models on Martian surface are presently absent or have large uncertainties. This study aims to construct semi-empirical DTC models of the Martian surface and address this gap by assessing their performances. Utilizing in-situ data collected by the Viking 1, Insight, Perseverance, and Curiosity rovers, we assess the performances of these DTC models by examining overall accuracy, daily precision, error rates across various hours, and effectiveness during different Martian seasons. The parameters of the models gain insights into the seasonal variations of surface temperature on Mars. Additionally, we conduct a focused analysis on the parameter-reduction approaches (PRAs) to assess the potential suitability of DTC models with the constraints of limited satellite observations available for Mars. Results indicate that the DTC models can effectively capture the diurnal surface temperature variations on Mars, with an overall error ranging from 0.74 to 2.28 K. Among the DTC models, the DMT24 model developed in this study shows the superior performance and can reproduce the slow and smooth increase around sunrise and maintain accuracy during nighttime periods. The DTC models can well capture the diurnal surface temperature cycle on Mars using limited satellite data based on suitable PRAs. This study offers valuable references for utilizing global DTC models on Mars.