2021 Annual Update to MARS CORRECT: CRITIQUE OF ALL NASA MARS WEATHER DATA
MARCH 1, 2021: MARS CORRECT: CRITIQUE OF ALL NASA MARS WEATHER DATA
Thanks for stopping by to learn the truth about Mars. Twelve years ago (in 2009) my son David A. Roffman (now with a PhD in physics) began his BS in space physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He asked me for an idea for his first technical paper. I told him that I had a hard time believing that dust devils could form so easily on Mars because the air there is almost a vacuum. It has an average pressure of 6.1 mbar which is less than a hundredth of Earth's air pressure of 1,013.25 mbar. So I suggested that he write a 10-page report called ENIGMA OF THE MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE: HIGHER THAN ADVERTISED AIR PRESSSURE. He presented a PowerPoint of the paper at the Mars Society Convention the next summer. We both continued to research this topic together for at least the next 11 years (up through today). Over that time the Report grew from 10 pages to the current length of 1,231 pages.
During this intense 12-year audit of NASA data our doubts about air pressure were joined by data-induced reservations about winds (which we forced NASA to remove), nightly temperatures, relative humidity, ultraviolet radiation and opacity. In short wherever we looked we saw problems with their data. We spent years trying to decide if significant errors were due to incompetence or deliberate disinformation. We did uncover some major errors that looked like sloppy work. NASA Viking 1 and 2 weather reports used Pascals (Pa) for pressure when likely meant hectopascals (hPa). This was like confusing pennies with dollars. But after ten years it became clear that most errors were likely politically driven. The reasons for our suspicions are speculative and therefore are not included in this report, but they are discussed elsewhere on this site. In 2020 the International Mars Society bravely requested and published our full paper, but I expressed concern about limiting our findings to what rapidly expanding proofs David and I had at the time. So we agreed to publish at least one annually updated report. The first such update is the PDF here. The Abstract for it is as follows:
ABSTRACT: We present evidence that NASA is seriously understating Martian air pressure. Our 12-year study critiques 3,025 Sols up through 8 February 2021 (8.51 terrestrial years, 4.52 Martian years) of highly problematic MSL Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) weather data, and offers an in depth audit of over 8,311 hourly Viking 1 and 2 weather reports. We discuss analysis of technical papers, NASA documents, and personal interviews of transducer designers. We troubleshoot pressures based on radio occultation/spectroscopy, and the previously accepted small pressure ranges that could be measured by Viking 1 and 2 (18 mbar), Pathfinder and Phoenix (12 mbar), and MSL (11.5 mbar – altered to 14 mbar in 2017). For MSL there were several pressures published from August 30 to September 5, 2012 that were from 737 mbar to 747 mbar – two orders of magnitude high – only to be retracted. We challenged many pressures and NASA revised them down. However there are two pressure sensors ranges listed on a CAD for Mars Pathfinder. We long thought the CAD listed two different sensors, but based on specifications of a new Tavis sensor for InSight that is like that on PathFinder, it appears that the transducer could toggle between two pressures ranges: 0-0.174 PSIA/12 mbar (Tavis Dash 2) and 0-15 PSIA/1,034 mbar (Tavis Dash 1). Further, an Abstract to the American Geophysical Union for the Fall 2012 meeting, shows the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) states of their MSL (and Phoenix) Vaisala transducers, “The pressure device measurement range is 0 – 1025 hPa in temperature range of -45°C - +55°C (-45°C is warmer than MSL night temperatures), but its calibration is optimized for the Martian pressure range of 4 – 12 hPa.” So in fact of the first five landers with meteorological suites, three were actually equipped to measure Earth-like pressure.
All original 19 low µV values were removed when we asked about them, although eventually 12 were restored. REMS always-sunny opacity reports were contradicted by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photos. We demonstrate that REMS weather data was regularly revised after they studied online critiques in working versions of this report. REMS even labelled all dust 2018 Global Dust Storm weather as sunny, although they did list the µV values then as all low. Vikings and MSL showed consistent timing of daily pressure spikes which we link to how gas pressure in a sealed container would vary with Absolute temperature, to heating by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), and to dust clots at air access tubes and dust filters. Pathfinder, Phoenix and MSL wind measurements failed. Phoenix and MSL pressure transducer design problems included confusion about dust filter location, and lack of information about nearby heat sources due to International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR). NASA Ames could not replicate dust devils at 10 mbar. Rapidly filled MER Spirit tracks required wind speeds of 80 mph at the assumed low pressures. These winds were never recorded on Mars. Nor could NASA explain drifting Barchan sand dunes. Based on the above and dust devils on Arsia Mons to altitudes of 17 km above areoid (Martian equivalent of sea level), spiral storms with 10 km eye-walls above Arsia Mons and similar storms above Olympus Mons (over 21 km high), dust storm opacity at MER Opportunity blacking out the sun, snow that descends 1 to 2 km in only 5 or 10 minutes, excessive aero braking, liquid water running at or near the surface in numerous locations at Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) and stratus clouds 13 km above areoid, we argue for an average pressure at areoid of ~511 mbar rather than the accepted 6.1 mbar. This pressure grows to 1,050 mbar in the Hellas Basin.
The Table of Contents to the full Report is as follows:
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | |
| Table of Contents………………………………………………………….. | iii |
| List of Illustrations…................................................................................ | iv |
| ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………… | 1 |
| 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….......................... | 2 |
| 1.1 Comparison of Martian and terrestrial dust devils……………..……………………… | 5 |
| 1.1.1 Geographic Occurrences and the Greenhouse and Thermophoresis Effect……… | 5 |
| 1.1.2 Seasonal Occurrences and Electrical Properties………………….……………… | 6 |
| 1.1.3. Size and Shape ………………………………………………………………………….. | 6 |
| 1.1.4. Diurnal Formation Rate and Lifetime……………………………………………….. | 6 |
| 1.1.5 Wind Speeds…………………………………………………………………………….. | 4 |
| 1.1.6 Core Temperature Excursions…………………………………………………………. | 6 |
| 1.1.7 Dust Particle Size – The Problem of Martian Dust <2 Microns and Wind Speeds. | 6 |
| 1.1.8. Core Pressure Excursions……………………………………………………………… | 7 |
| 1.2. NASA Ames Test of Martian Pressures and Dust Devils …………………………… | 10 |
| 2. OVERVIEW OF PRESSURE INSTRUMENTATION PROBLEMS…................... | 11 |
| 2.1 Viking 2 and Gay-Lussac’s Law…………………………………………………………. | 13 |
| 2.2 Pathfinder and Phoenix Pressure Issues…………………………………………. | 18 |
| 2.3. Which Transducers Were Used?………………………………………………… | 21 |
| 2.4. Issues Raised by the FMI | 23 |
| 2.5. DID ANY TAVIS OR VAISALA TRANSDUCERS PEG OUT AT THEIR MAXIMUM PRESSURES?..................................................................................................... | 27 |
| 2.5.1 How extraordinary was the (temporary) 1,149 Pa pressure spike of MSL Sol 370? | 27 |
| 2.5.2. The importance of gleaning data from identification of our web site readers. | 28 |
| 2.5.3 Why is it so wrong to alter data to fit an expected curve? | 35 |
| 2.6 The Dust filter on Viking………………………………………………………….. | 40 |
| 2.6.1. The issue of Viking pressure reports and digitization………………………………… | 40 |
| 2.6.2. The issue of daily pressure spikes at consistent time-bins. | 40 |
| 2.7. MSL Weather Reporting Fiasco | 46 |
| 3. CAVES ON AND SPIRAL CLOUDS ABOVE ARSIA MONS AND OLYMPUS MONS ON MARS. | 49 |
| 4. THE ISSUES OF SNOW, WATER ICE, AND CARBON DIOXIDE ON MARS. | 51 |
| 4.1. Annual Pressure Fluctuations Recorded by Viking 1, Viking 2, and Phoenix - Maximum Pressure in the Northern Winter?..................................................................... | 51 |
| 4.1.1. Ls of minimum pressure……………………………………………………… | 52 |
| 4.1.2. Ls of maximum pressure………………………………………………………………….. | 52 |
| 5. RADIO OCCULTATION……………………………………………………………. | 65 |
| 5.1 Shifting Standards – The Relationship of the MOLA Topography of Mars to the Mean Atmospheric Pressure. | 67 |
| 6. SPECTROSCOPY PRESSURE READINGS BY MARS EXPRESS ORBITER. | 71 |
| 7. MARTIAN WIND PROBLEMS….............................................................................. | 72 |
| 7.1 Anemometer/Telltale Wind Speed Issues………………………………………………… | 73 |
| 7.2 Martian Bedforms – Too Much Movement of Sand Dunes and Ripples for 6.1 mbar | 74 |
| 7.2.1 Issues Raised by the paper on Planet-wide sand motion on Mars by Bridges et al. (2012) | 75 |
| 8. DO DOWNRANGE LANDINGS MEAN THINNER OR THICKER AIR?........... | 81 |
| 9. DUST OPACITY AND PRESSURE…...................................................................... | 85 |
| 10. EXCESSIVE DECELERATION DURING AEROBRAKING OPERATIONS | 92 |
| 10.1 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)…………………………………………………………… | 92 |
| 10.2 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)…………………………………………… | 93 |
| 11. THE GLOBAL DUST STORM OF 2018 | 94 |
| 11.1 Pressures Claimed for the 2018 Global Dust Storm | 97 |
| 11.2 Brief Summary of 2018 Dust Storm Data | 108 |
| 11.3 Possibility of a Biological Factor in Lifting Dust | 108 |
| 11.3.1 Martian Dust Storm Seasons | 109 |
| 11.4 Martian Dust Storm Paths and Radioactive Areas | 109 |
| 12. MARS PATHFINDER PRESSURES | 111 |
| 13. THE POTENTIAL PRESSURE ON MARS……………………………………… | 113 |
| 13.1 Did NASA ever publicly back 20 mbar on Mars? | 113 |
| 13.2 Biology, Methane, and a Possible Hint of the Real Martian Air Pressure….................... | 114 |
| 13.3 Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL), Perchlorates and Running Water on Mars…........... | 118 |
| 13.3.1 Length of daylight where RSL are found……………………………………………….. | 118 |
| 13.3.2 Latitudes, times and temperatures for evidence of running water…………………. | 120 |
| 13.3.3 The role of perchlorates in RSL………………………………………………………… | 121 |
| 13.3.3.1. RSL: Could they be sand rather than water?..................................................... | 121 |
| 13.4 Other Water on Mars – the Frozen Sea at Utopia Planitia | 124 |
| 13.5 The High End of Pressure Estimates for Mars…...................................................... | 127 |
| 13.6. Pressure Drop as MSL Climbs Mt. Sharp vs. Scale Height Predictions. | 131 |
| 14. RELATIVE HUMIDITY | 140 |
| 15. TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT CONCERNS | 145 |
| 15.1. Ground Temperature Problems | 152 |
| 15.2. Winter Ground Temperatures above freezing in MSL Year 2 | 152 |
| 15.3. Why the early winter ground temperatures are so important and possible life seen on Sol 1185 | 152 |
| 15.3.1 Evidence of Life on Mars. | 154 |
| 15.4. MSL Air and Ground Temperature Differences. | 158 |
| 15.4.1. Oxygen Solubility in near-surface Martian environments and aerobic life. | 160 |
| 15.5. MSL Diurnal Temperature Variations……………….. | 161 |
| 15.5.1. Why does the temperature fall more degrees at MSL in summer nights than winter nights? | 166 |
| 15.6. Probable Failure of the Ground Temperature Sensor or Personnel Issues? | 167 |
| 15.6.1 Failure of the Temperature Sensor. | 173 |
| 15.6.2 Personnel Issues. | 173 |
| 15.6.3 Mixed messages about the range and sensitivity of pressure sensors sent to Mars. | 175 |
| 15.6.4. A Possible Excuse for REMS Errors. | 181 |
| 15.7 Temperature, Pressure and Albedo | 182 |
| 16. ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION AND CLOUD COVER AT MSL. | 186 |
| 16.1 Solar Longitude for sols at MSL with very high and low ultraviolet radiation. | 188 |
| 17. CRASH OF THE EXOMARS 2016 SCHIAPARELLI LANDER | 197 |
| 17.1 ESA gets smarter – Raises ExoMars orbit due to excessive density of Mars’s atmosphere | 200 |
| 18. SUMMARY OF CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS……………………………………… | 201 |
| 18.1. Dust Devils | 202 |
| 18.2 Accuracy of instrument descriptions | 202 |
| 18.3 Data management | 202 |
| 18.4 The crash of the ExoMars 2016 | 202 |
| 18.5 During Viking 1 and 2 Year 1, pressures varied closely with Gay-Lussac/ Amonton’s Law-based predictions for a gas trapped in a closed container | 202 |
| 18.6 Data digitization Issues and stuck pressure readings | 203 |
| 18.7 Pressure readings affected by heat generating internal events | 203 |
| 18.8 Inconsistent reports about the maximum pressures measurements possible with FMI transducers | 204 |
| 18.9 Timing of pressure spikes | 204 |
| 18.10. Annex F and how the time of day affects the accuracy of pressure prediction | 204 |
| 18.11. Mariner Pressure Results | 204 |
| 18.12. Landing Pressure Capabilities | 204 |
| 18.13. Deliberate use of flawed sensors | 204 |
| 18.14. Innocent Mistakes? | 205 |
| 18.15. Effects of Dust storms | 206 |
| 18.16. Altitude and pressure changes seen | 207 |
| 18.17. Effects on Aerobraking | 207 |
| 18.18. Diurnal pressure fluctuation | 207 |
| 18.19. Organic chemicals found on Mars | 207 |
| 18.20. Evidence for life on Mars | 207 |
| 18.21. Problems with transducer design and testing | 208 |
| 18.22. Failure to replicate dust devils | 208 |
| 18.23. Sand movement not possible at NASA’s claimed Martian air pressure | 208 |
| 18.24. Lower than expected ultraviolet radiation | 208 |
| 18.25. Stratus clouds at high altitudes | 208 |
| 18.26. The real pressure on Mars? | 208 |
| 19. RECOMMENDATIONS…............................................................................................ | 209 |
| 20. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……................................................................................. | 210 |
| AFTERWORD: What difference could this all possibly make? ……………… | 212 |
| 21. REFERENCES…............................................................................................................... | 217 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE BASIC REPORT
| FIGURE | TOPIC | PAGE |
| 1 | Arsia Mons dust devils | 5 |
| 2 | Utah dust devil pressure drop | 7 |
| 3 | Pressure drops at Phoenix and Pathfinder | 8 |
| 4 | Relative magnitude of 0.62 mbar increase in pressure for Viking 1 at its sol 332.3 and pressure drops or 79 convective vortices/dust devils at Mars pathfinder | 9 |
| 5A | First photo from the surface of Mars and dust kicked up | 12 |
| 5B | Rocks on the deck of the MSL Curiosity | 12 |
| 6 | Pressure calculator with Gay-Lussac Pressure Law and Viking 2 results. | 14 |
| 7 | Prediction success totals per time-bin and corresponding % of successful predictions. | 15 |
| 8 | Sample of Annex F – Viking 1 daily pressure predictions & measurements with cyclic accuracies for pressure predictions | 16 |
| 9A-9C | Relationship of temperature changes to pressure changes on Viking 2 | 17 |
| 10A | Tavis Viking CAD Diagram 10011 | 19 |
| 10B | Tavis Pathfinder CAD Diagram 10484 | 19 |
| 10C | Three different Tavis transducers | 21 |
| 10D | Tavis was used on both Pathfinder and Insight | 22 |
| 11A | Vaisala 10484 pressure transducer on Phoenix and MSL | 23 |
| 11B | Relative size of dust filters for Mars landers | 24 |
| 12A | Pressure and Temperatures Recorded by Phoenix | 25 |
| 12B | Except for Sol 370 the black MSL pressure curve is suspiciously too close to the Viking 2 curve above it and the Viking 1 curve below it. | 27 |
| 13 | Quality control Individuals test. | 28 |
| 14A | MSL sensor pegged out at max pressure | 30 |
| 14B | MSL pressure sols 369-371 | 31 |
| 14C | The REMS team alters the critical MSL Sol 370 pressure data | 32 |
| 14D | Ashima Research has not yet altered the critical MSL Sol 370 pressure data | 32 |
| 14E | REMS also alters pressures for Sols 1160 and 1161. | 33 |
| 14F | REMS again revises pressures for Sols 1300 and 1301. | 34 |
| 14G | REMS alters temperature data too when it is off the curve. | 35 |
| 15A | MSL REMS Block Diagram | 36 |
| 15B | Real Mars Sky Color | 36 |
| 16A | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 to .34 time-bins. Sols 1-116. | 42 |
| 16B | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 134 -199. | 42 |
| 16C | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 200-219. | 42 |
| 16D | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 220-304 | 42 |
| 16E | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 305-334 | 43 |
| 16F | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 335-350 | 43 |
| 16G | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 156-175 | 43 |
| 16H | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 176-199. | 43 |
| 16I | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 201-260. | 44 |
| 16J | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 261-290. | 44 |
| 16K | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 291- 305. | 44 |
| 16L | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 306-361 | 44 |
| 17A | REMS Team data confusion | 47 |
| 17B | Data day length and wind report changes from Ashima Research due to our efforts | 47 |
| 18A-D | Inverse relationship between MSL pressures and temperatures | 48 |
| 19 | Caves on Arsia Mons | 50 |
| 20 | Spiral clouds over Arsia Mons and Olympus Mons | 50 |
| 21A | 1,177Pa and 1,200 Pa maximum pressures published | 53 |
| 21B | Approximate display of how MSL pressure data fits in with VL-2, VL-1 and Phoenix data. | 54 |
| 22A | Ashima Research does not support exact minimum MSL pressures published by the REMS Team | 55 |
| 22B | REMS plays games with the minimum pressure so far for MSL Year 3 on Sol 2002. | 58 |
| 23 | Pressure curve for MSL’s first 866 sols. | 62 |
| 24 | Radio Occultation Points on Mars with locations of Olympus Mons and Arsia Mons indicated | 69 |
| 25 | MOLA map of Mars with topographic features, landing sites, and methane plumes | 70 |
| 26A | Mars Express OMEGA spectroscopy-derive surface pressures | 71 |
| 26B | Four years of in situ pressures at Viking 1 lander site | 71 |
| 27 | Phoenix telltale waving in Martian wind | 74 |
| 28 | Wind speeds recorded at Viking 1 for its sols 1 to 116 and 134 to 350 | 77 |
| 29 | Wind speeds recorded at Viking 2 for its sols 1 to 399 | 76 |
| 30 | Erasure 8f Spirit’s tracks during the 2007 global dust storm | 79 |
| 31 | Dust Storms and pressures recorded at Vikings 1 and 2. | 80 |
| 32 | Reconstructed density for Spirit landing | 82 |
| 33 | Reconstructed density for Opportunity entry | 82 |
| 34 | Reconstructed density for Phoenix entry | 83 |
| 35 | Dust storm in Phoenix, Arizona | 84 |
| 36 | Sols 852 to 858 REMS vs. Malin | 85 |
| 37 | Opacity changes at Opportunity from sols 1205 to 1235. | 91 |
| 38 | VL1 pressure and opacity | 92 |
| 39 | Actual Dynamic Pressure – normalized to an altitude of 121 km | 93 |
| 40 | 2019 Global Dust Storm Sols 2082 to 2090 | 95 |
| 41 | 2018 Global Dust Storm blacks out the sun at Opportunity | 96 |
| 42 | Two images from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA’s Curiosity rover depict the change in the color of light illuminating the Martian surface | 97 |
| 43 | The altitude from – July 26, 2016 to October 15, 2016 was somewhere between 4,400 meters in July to 4,360 meters below areoid. | 98 |
| 44 | Possible correlation between radioactive hot spots and dust storm origination on Mars? | 110 |
| 45 | Time-averaged surface pressures for 30 sols of Pathfinder | 111 |
| 46 | Diurnal pressure cycle for MSL Sol 10 and MPF Sols 9 and 10 | 112 |
| 47 | History of beliefs about Martian Atmospheric Pressure | 114 |
| 48 | Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) | 115 |
| 49 | Methane spikes seen by MSL at Gale Crater. | 116 |
| 50A-I plus Plates 5 and 6 | The Color of the Martian Sky | 117 |
| 51 | Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) | 119 |
| 52 | Location of RSL on Mars | 120 |
| 53 | Projected surface and subsurface temperature to 10 cm depth at Melas Chasma | 121 |
| 54 | Relation between temperature, season & direction for RSL at Melas Chasma | 121 |
| 55 | Spectroscopy, RSL & perchlorates/Perchlorates and boiling point on Mars | 123 |
| 56 | Map of Utopia Planitia where a water ice sea was found on Mars | 125 |
| 57 | Pressure predictions based on stratus clouds 16 km over Mars Pathfinder | 130 |
| 58 | Gale Crater topographic map | 133 |
| 59 | Comparison of scale heights in The Martian Climate Revisited and on a NASA web site. | 136 |
| 60 | Comparison of pressure readings by Viking 1, Viking 2, Mars Phoenix, and MSL | 139 |
| 61 | Relative humidity is missing from REMS weather reports | 141 |
| 62 | Relative humidity claims for Gale crater | 142 |
| 63 | Relative humidity in the blast zone, arriving at Rocknest, leaving Rocknest and at Glenelg in Gale Crater. | 140 |
| 64 | The REMS Team drops above freezing temperatures to below freezing | 144 |
| 65 | Huge uncertainty of MSL ground temperatures | 145 |
| 66 | MSL temperature sensor range | 145 |
| 67 | MSL ground temperature sensor | 148 |
| 68 | Mars Science Laboratory high air and ground temperatures for 3+ Martian years. | 149 |
| 69 | Mars Science Laboratory low air and ground temperatures for 3+ Martian years. | 150 |
| 70 | Unaveraged periodic temperature data from Mars Pathfinder (0.25 meters to 1 meter height) | 151 |
| 71 | The green spherical and cocoon-like objects seen on sols 1185 and 1189. The green spheres might be photosynthetic life. | 153 |
| 72A | The putative ooids found in the same area as the spheres shown on Figure 57A might be simply smaller versions of the same phenonena. | 155 |
| 72B | Figure 72B: Likely growth and reproduction of life on Mars. From R Gabriel Joseph el al, 2019. | 155 |
| 73 | Elevations and ground temperatures encountered while MSL was at positions noted by JPL. Possible life was seen on Sol 1185, along with a warmer than expected high ground temperature. The position noted for MSL for Sol 1248 is a return to within 20 meters of where the potential life was seen before. Then it moved within about 10 meters of the site. | 156 |
| 74 | Some of the unusually warm ground temperatures including five above freezing seen early in MSL Year 2 Winter. | 157 |
| 75A | Diurnal drop in high temperatures from the ground up to 1.5 meters above ground level at MSL | 158 |
| 75B | Graph of temperature drops at MSL for its summer (Year 2) and Winter (Year 2 to 3) | 158 |
| 76 | Location of meteorological sensors on Booms 1 and 2 of MSL. | 161 |
| 77 | While low air temperatures for sols 1670 and 1671 were both -76° C, the ground temperature lows differed by 30° C. | 165 |
| 78 | Sols 1720 to 1721 – Record low of -136° C. | 165 |
| 79 | Results from Spectroscopy when matching RSL with perchlorates | 166 |
| 80 | MSL Sols 1717 to 1721 topography with altitudes below areoid with low air and ground temperatures posted by the REMS Team. | 168 |
| 81 | JPL identified positions and MOLA altitudes for sols 1639 to 1671. Low air and ground temperatures were added based on REMS Team weather reports. | 169 |
| 82 | JPL published the positions for MSL Sols 1635, 1636, 1639, 1642, 1643, 1645, 1646, 1648 and 1649. During these dates low ground temperatures varied between -79° and -93° C. However, the dates that they did not show had ground temperature lows that varied from -80° and -111° C with five temperatures colder than -101° C, the coldest temperature ever observed by MSL. | 170 |
| 83 | Alteration of REMS Team report for Sol 1605 after we questioned it. It is quite apparent that before March, 2017 reports that vary too much from the preceding day or previous Martian year at the same Ls do not survive long at the REMS site at http://cab.inta-csic.es/rems/en. | 174 |
| 84 | Viking 1 and Viking 2 error in unit conversion | 176 |
| 85 | The REMS Team would not permit low temperatures warmer than -50° C. | 178 |
| 86 | Print-screen (recorded on July 23, 2017) of the FMI Abstract entitled Pressure and Humidity Measurements at the MSL Landing Site Supported by Modeling of the Atmospheric Conditions. | 179 |
| 87 | The Vaisla Pressure sensor and its range as depicted by Spaceflight101.com. (1150 Pa top pressure) | 180 |
| 88 | REMS puts out a new maximum pressure for MSL. This time it’s 1400 Pa (14 mbar). | 181 |
| 89 | Maximum temperature calculated according to Boltzman’s Law with TES measurements from the equator to -10° latitude (10° South latitude)
| 182 |
| 90 | Combining day and night infrared shooting, I have obtained this map in false colors where red spots area areas that tend to warm up more quickly during the day, while green resembles areas that tend to retain more warmth overnight, everything else is shown in blue. | 184 |
| 91 | Ls of Mars when MSL was experiencing low UV or very high UV. | 189 |
| 92 | Initial low UV values reported by the REMS Team and how the reports were altered. All low UV values between Sol 608 (April 22, 2014) and Sol 1200 on December 22, 2015 were obliterated by February 22, 2016. | 191 |
| 93 | After the REMS Team (a) dropped all UV values and (b) read our concerns about their behavior they changed at least 12 sols back to low UV. See Figure 77B for the rest of such changes. | 192 |
| 94 | After the REMS Team (a) dropped all UV values and (b) read our concerns about their behavior they changed at least 12 sols back to low UV. Figure 77B shows such changes that were not documented on Figure 77A | 193 |
| 95 | Not all changes away from low UV were restored. As of October 12, 2017 no such restoration has made yet for Sol 1006. | 194 |
| 96 | Sunny skies advertised for MSL Sols 82 to 88 were not backed by the MSSS MARCI images | 196 |
| 97 | ESA gets smarter – Raises ExoMars orbit due to excessive density of Mars’s atmosphere | 201 |
| 98 | Changes in sky color and opacity due to the dust storm at MSL between May and June 2018. | 206 |
TABLES IN THE BASIC REPORT
| TABLE | TOPIC | PAGE |
| 1 | Pressures revised by JPL/MSL after we highlighted them | 10-11 |
| 2 | Pressure at various elevations on Mars based on a scale height of 10.8 and a pressure at Mars Areoid of 6.1 mbar. | 10 |
| 3 | Viking 1 cyclic accuracies for pressure predictions. | 14 |
| 4A | Sample of how the Roffman team tracks weather data published by the REMS Team/JPL | 38 |
| 4B | Links to 5 Martian years of weather data | 39 |
| 4C | Digitization limitations and the specific pressures reported by VL-2 for its first summer on Mars | 41 |
| 5 | Viking 1 Time-bin pressure and temperature change studies | 45 |
| 6 | Viking 2 Time-bin pressure and temperature change studies | 46 |
| 7 | Pressures @ LS 90 and minimum pressures seen by VL-1, VL-2 and MS8 | 56 |
| 8 | Landers and expected pressures based on landing altitude | 58 |
| 9 | Comparison of Viking 1 and Viking 2 Pressures for Ls 270 | 60 |
| 10 | Variations in day length at Ls 70 South | 61 |
| 11 | Comparison of Martian Pressures via Radio Occultation & Calculated Scale Height Calculations | 65 |
| 12 | Six attempts by Mariners 4, 6 and 7 to measure pressure by radio occultation. | 67 |
| 13 | Profile of the windiest Viking day on Mars | 76 |
| 14 | Extracts of the MSSS reports that mention cloudy or dusty weather at the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater, Mars, and weather in equatorial regions where Curiosity is found. | 86-90 |
| 15A | MSL Sols, Ls and Altitude in Meters Below Areoid | 99 |
| 15B | REMS weather data for the 2018 Global Dust Storm | 101-107 |
| 15C | Length of Sols on Mars at key solar longitudes related to dust storms | 109 |
| 16 | Calculation For Pressure At Utopia Planitia (Based on 6.1 mbar at areoid)
| 124 |
| 17 | Pressure and altitudes for MSL Years 2 and 3 between Ls 11 and 19 | 132 |
| 18A | Pressure calculations for altitudes discussed above using a scale height of 10.8 km | 134 |
| 18B | Pressure calculations for altitudes discussed above using a scale height of 11.1 km | 135 |
| 19 | Pressures over 925 Pa revised by JPL/REMS after we highlighted them or published them in earlier version of our Report | 137 |
| 20 | MSL temperatures altered by the REMS Team in July, 2013 | 143 |
| 21 | Usually warm ground temperatures early in the winter of MSL year 2 | 151 |
| 22 | Coldest air and ground temperatures for the first 29 Martian months of MSL operations on mars | 163 |
| 23 | MSL maximum and minimum air and ground temperatures Sols 1634 to 1684 | 171-173 |
| 24 | Initial ultraviolet radiation reported through 1,256 sols at MSL. | 186 |
| 25 | UV radiation reported up to Sol 1,338 after the REMS Team dropped all 19 original low UV values and then restored 12 of them. | 187 |
| 26 | UV for 2,007 MSL sols | 188 |
| 27 | Weather at MSL for Sols 2080 to 2097 during the 2018 Global Dust Storm | 199-200 |
ANNEXES (with links) AND APPENDICES
| SECTION | TOPIC | PAGE |
| Annex Abstract | Overview of data in the Annexes | A-1 |
| ANNEX A | VIKING 1 MORNING PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CHANGES and Mars Time-Bin Clock. | A-2 to A-59 |
| ANNEX A Appendix 1 | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 to .34 time-bins. Sols 1-116. | A-3 to A-22 |
| Appendix 2 | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 134-199. | A-23 to A-34 |
| Appendix 3 | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 200-219. | A-35 to A-38 |
| Appendix 4 | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 220-304 | A-39 to A-50 |
| Appendix 5 | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 305-334 | A-51 to A-55 |
| Appendix 6 | VL-1 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 335-350 | A-56 to A-59 |
| ANNEX B | VIKING 2 MORNING PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CHANGES http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20B%209%20September%202013.pdf | B-1 to B-39 |
| Appendix 1 | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 156-175 | B-2 to B-5 |
| Appendix 2 | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 176-199. | B-6 to B-10 |
| Appendix 3 | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 201-260. | B-11 to B-20 |
|
Appendix 4 |
VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 261-290. | B-21 to B-26 |
| Appendix 5 | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 291-305. | B-27 to B-30 |
| Appendix 6 | VL-2 pressures of .26 to .3 time-bins & .3 and .34 time-bins. Sols 306-361 | B-31 to B-39 |
| ANNEX C | VIKING 2 STUCK PRESSURE GAUGE http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20C%209%20September%202013.pdf | C-1 to C-54 |
| ANNEX D | PERCENT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEASURED PRESSURES ON VIKING AND GAY-LUSSAC/ AMONTON’S LAW-BASED PREDICTIONS http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20D%20%209%20September%202013.pdf | D-1 to D-171 |
| Appendix 1 | Viking 1 Sols 1 to 199 | D-3 to D-94 |
| Appendix 2 | Viking 1 Sols 200 to 350 | D-95 to D-171 |
| ANNEX E | Measured vs. Predicted Pressure Percent Differences for Viking-1 Time-bins 0.3 and 0.34 http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20E%209%20September%202013.pdf | E-1 to E-14 |
| ANNEX F | Percent Difference Experimental Summary | F-1 to F-18 |
| Appendix 1 | Percent Difference Flow Chart for Viking 1 Sols 1 to 116 & 200 to 350 | F-5 to F-16 |
| Appendix 2 | Histogram with temperatures at successful predictions per time-bins | F-17 to F-18 |
| ANNEX G | Tavis Transducer Specifications and Test Results http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20G%2010%20September%202013.pdf | G-1 to G-13 |
|
ANNEX H | Calibration Effort for the Mars Pathfinder Tavis Pressure Transducer and IMP Windsock Experiment http://davidaroffman.com/Annex%20H%20%209%20September%202013.pdf | H-1 to H-43 |
| ANNEX I | Pressures Reported by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS). | I-1 to I-28 |
| Appendix 1 | Print Screen Record of Original REMS Team and Ashima Research MSL Weather Reports | I-12 to I-28 |
| ANNEX J | Concessions by Ashima Research and How to Correctly Calculate Daylight Hours for MSL http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20J%20%209%20September%202013.pdf | J- 1to J-19 |
| ANNEX K | REMS Team and Ashima Research Weather Reports from Sol 15 to Sol 299. http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20K%209%20September%202013.pdf | K-1 to K-34 |
| ANNEX L | How Martian Day Length Varies with Ls and Latitude | L-1 to L-10 |
| ANNEX M | One Year of MSL Weather Reports http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20M%20of%20All%20NASA%20Mars%20Weather%20Data%20Revised%20Aug%2027%202015%20to%20Critiqu.pdf | M-1 to M-38 |
|
ANNEX N | Weather Reports for MSL Year 2 Ls 151 to Ls 270 (late winter to end of spring), Sols 670 to 864 http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20N.pdf | N-1 to N-13 |
| ANNEX O | Weather Reports for MSL Year 2 Ls 270 to Ls 0 (summer), Sols 865 to 1,020 http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20O.pdf | O-1 to O-11 |
| ANNEX P | Weather Reports for MSL Year 2 Ls 0 to Ls 90 (autumn), Sols 1019 to 1,213 http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20P.pdf | P-1 to P-15 |
| ANNEX Q | Weather Reports for MSL Year 2 to 3 Winter, Ls 90 to Ls 180 (Sols 1,213 to 1,392) http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20Q.pdf | Q-1 to Q-18 |
| ANNEX R | Weather Reports for MSL Year 3 Spring, Ls 180 to Ls 270 (Sols 1,392 to 1,534 | R-1 to R-37 |
| ANNEX S | Source: Document: Two Martian Years of MSL High Air and Ground Temperatures. http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20S.pdf | S-1 to S41 |
| ANNEX T | Source Document: Two Martian Years of MSL Low Air and Ground Temperatures. http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20T%20TO.pdf | T-1 to T-64 |
| ANNEX U | Comparison of Ultraviolet Radiation and Pressures at Gale Crater, Mars for MSL Years 1 and 2 | U-1 to U-28 |
| ANNEX V | Weather Reports for MSL Year 3 Summer, Ls 270 to Ls 0 (Sols 1,534 to 1,686. http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20V.pdf | V-1 to V-28 |
| ANNEX W | Weather Reports for MSL Year 3 Fall, Ls 0 to 90 (Sols 1,687 to 1,881 | W -1 to W-24 |
| ANNEX X | Weather Reports for MSL Year 3-4 Winter, Ls 90 to 180 (Sols 1,881to 2060 | X-1 to X-31 |
| ANNEX Y | Weather Reports for MSL Year 4 Spring, 180 to 270 (Sols to 2060 to 2204) http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20Y.pdf | Y-1 to Y-19 |
| ANNEX Z | Weather Reports for MSL Year 4 Summer, 270 to 0 (Sols to 2203 to 2357) http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20Z.pdf | Z-1 to Z-19 |
| ANNEX AA | Weather Reports for MSL Year 4 Fall, Ls 0 to 90 (Sols 2357 to 2550) | AA-1 to AA-21 |
| ANNEX BB | Weather Reports for MSL Year 4-5 Winter, Ls 90 to 180 (Sols 2,550 to 2728 http://davidaroffman.com/Annex%20%20BB.pdf
| BB-1 to BB-26 |
| ANNEX CC | Weather Reports for MSL Year 5 Spring, Ls 180 to 270 (Sols 2729 to 2871) http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20CC.pdf
| CC-1 to CC-16 |
| ANNEX DD | Weather Reports for MSL Year 5 Summer, 270 to 0 (Sols to 2871 to 3025 http://davidaroffman.com/ANNEX%20DD.pdf
| DD-1 to DD-19 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX A
| FIGURE | TOPIC | PAGE |
| 1 | Martian Time-Bin Clock | A-2 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX F
| FIGURE | TOPIC | PAGE |
| 1 | Prediction success totals per time-bin. | F-1 |
| 2 | % Differences between measured & predicted pressures as a function of time | F-2 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX G
| FIGURE | TOPIC | PAGE |
| 1 | Tavis pressure sensors tested according to the Alvin Seiff papers | G-1 |
| 2 | Tavis Viking CAD Diagram 10011 | G-2 |
| 3 | NASA Report No. TM X-74020 (Mitchell Report: Tavis Transducer Tests) | G-3 |
| 4 | Photo of the Tavis P-4 pressure sensor | G-4 |
| 5 | Transducer Selection Slide by Professor James E. Tillman | G-6 |
| 6 | Tavis Pathfinder CAD Diagram 10484 | G-7 |
| 7 | Design diagrams for Tavis transducers (Models P-1, P-2, P-4, P-5, P-6, P-7 and P-8) | G-8
|
| 8 | P-4 Transducers (S/N 1583 and S/N 1591) used for test of Viking pressures sensors after the launch of the two Vikings. | G-9 |
| 9 | Relative sizes of dust filters used for Tavis and Vaisala transducers. | G-9 |
| 10 | Table of Characteristics of Tavis transducers (Models P-1, P-2, P-4, P-5, P-6, P-7 & P-8) | G-10 |
| 11 | Tavis Transducer purchasing information | G-11 |
| 12 | Temperature Malfunction During (Viking) Cruise Environment | G-13 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX I
| FIGURE | TOPIC | PAGE |
| 1 | Pressure data for MSL Sols 10.5 to 13 | I-1 |
| 2 | MSL temperature data for Sols 10 to 11.5 | I-1 |
| 3A | REMS Team and Ashima Research coverage of weather at MSL back in August, 2012, and how Ashima was forced to alter their reports on May 11, 2013. | I-2 |
| 3B | REMS Team coverage of weather at MSL back in August, 2012, and how their data was revised again on July 3, 2013. | I-3 |
| 4 | REMS Weather Booms on MSL | I-5 |
| 5 | Close up of MSL Weather Booms | I-5 |
| 6a to 6d | Temperature and pressure were inversely related for the MSL | I-8 |
| 7 | Combined VL-1, VL-2, Phoenix and MSL Pressure Curves to MSL at Ls 10 | I-9 |
| 8 | MSL pressure graph Ls 158.8 to 199.9 | I-10 |
| 6 | REMS team and Ashima Research reporting problems | I-12 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX J
| 1 | Position of Mars at the start of each of its 12 months. | J-4 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX L
| 1 | Changing Martian weather data from the REMS Team. | L-2 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX M
| 1 | Pressure changes reported for Sol 370. | M-7 |
| 2 | Pressure changes for Sols 29 and 30 | M-38 |
| 3 | Who is ordering REMS reports temperature changes? | M-40 |
| 4 | Weather sensors on MSL Curiosity | M-41 |
| 5 | VL1-, VL-2, Phoenix and MSL pressure curves | M-43 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX N
| 1 | MSL pressure data up through its Sol 866, Ls 270 – start of the second summer at MSL | N-2 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX O
| 1 | MSL pressure data up to Ls 270, start of the second summer | O-1 |
| 2 | MSL Sol 880 data changes after we highlighted problems | O-9 |
| 3 | MSL Sol 1006 data changes after we highlighted problems | O-10 |
| 4 | Mistakes and significant data alterations early on cast real doubt on the accuracy or honesty of MSL weather data. | O-11 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX P
| 1 | JPL makes changes to Sol 1,119 data that we predicted | P-12 |
| 2 | MSL Sol 1145 data changes after we highlighted problems | P-13 |
| 3 | MSL Sol 1160 and 1161 pressures that are record highs and above the 1,150 Pa limit of the Vaisala pressure sensor | P-14 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX S
| 1 | Range of high air and ground temperatures through MSL Years 1 and 2. | S-1 |
| 2 | REMS weather reports published for MSL Sols 1234 to 1241. Note all the ground temperature highs above 0 degrees Celsius and the incredibly low ground temperature at night – down to -100 degrees Celsius on Sol 1241. | S-2 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX U
| 1 | UV at MSL in Gale Crater, Mars up through its sol 1021 and the beginning of its second autumn on Mars. The REMS Team/JPL dropped all low values by February, 2016 | U-2 |
| 2A | The color for UV used on REMS reports.
| U-20 |
| 2B | Dose rate at MSL in micrograys per day related to UV levels published on the REMS reports (see Table 3) for ~300 sols
| U-20 |
| 3A to 3F | Relative positions of Mars and Earth when Low Ultraviolet radiations was originally reported by REMS on Mars. | U-23 |
| 4 | Stratus clouds seen 1 hours 40 minutes before sunrise at Mars Pathfinder. If the atmosphere there is as thin as NASA claims it is doubtful that there would be light so far before sunrise. | U-24 |
| 5 | Opportunity turned its rover eyes skyward to observe clouds drifting overhead that look like cirrus clouds on Earth.
| U-26 |
| 6 | Solar longitude (Ls) for Mars when MSL Curiosity originally measured very high UV or low UV. Again, after they read this article, they dropped all the low UV values. | U-27 |
| 7 | UV, Latitude and Altitude | U-28 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX V
| 1 | Sol 1553 to 1554 temperature and pressure anomalies and JPL fix after we highlighted the problem with Sol 1554 pressure and max temperatures. | V-23 |
| 2 | REMS report for Sol 1575. | V-23 |
| 3 | Figure 3 – The 35 Pa pressure drop and warm low temperatures on Sol 1605 was altered as predicted | V-24 |
| 4 | Figure 4 – As predicted, odd data for Sol 1610 was altered – in this case totally deleted | V-25 |
| 5 | Figure 5 – The ground temperature drop for Sol 1640 was not revised. This marked the beginning of strangely cold temperatures that went unchanged. | V-26 |
| 6 | Figure 6 – Insane variation in night air to ground temperatures between MSL Sols 1643 and 1650 | V-27 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX Z
| 1 | Original and revised REMS data for MSL Sols 1998 to 2002. | Z-16 |
| 2 | Sol 2264 weather data seems out of line due to radical changes in temperature, pressure, and UV. | Z-17 |
| 3 | Puffballs or Hematite? These spheres were seen on Sol 2357. | Z-18 |
| 4 | Trek map for MSL Curiosity with note on when spheres were seen. | Z-19 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN ANNEX CC
| 1 | Weather data revised for Weather data revised for Sol 2747. | C-16 |
LIST OF TABLES IN ANNEX U
| 1 | UV values for MSL Years 1 and 2 before and after JPL dropped all low UV values | U-1 |
| 2 | Solar Longitude, Pressures and Ultraviolet Radiation for MSL During its First Two Martian Years. | U-3 to U-19 |
| 3 | The relationships (if any) of solar longitude (Ls), lander altitude, lander latitude, day light hours each sol and UV recorded. | U-21 |
| 4 | 15 Sols with low ultraviolet radiation at Gale Crater Mars and the corresponding UV for these dates in Las Vegas, Nevada BEFORE the REMS Team and JPL dropped all low pressure data. | U-24 |
LIST OF TABLES IN ANNEX X
| 1 | Before and after print-screens showing weather that NASA published for sols 2223 and 2228 that we challenged and got NASA to change. | X-29 |
| 2 | Altitudes around minimum pressure for MSL Year 3 | X-30 |
| 3 | Sol 2043 revised UV | X-31 |