One Martian Year of Near‐Surface Temperatures at Jezero From MEDA Measurements on Mars2020/Perseverance

Measurements of ground and near surface atmospheric temperatures at Jezero obtained during 700 sols by the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) characterize the thermal behavior of the near surface Martian atmosphere during a full Martian Year. The seasonal evolution of MEDA measurements is compared with predictions from the Mars Climate Database and the solar irradiance at the surface. Thermal tides observed in the daily cycle of temperatures follow a seasonal cycle with additional variations greater than 2 K on time‐scales of tens of sols. We also observe sol‐to‐sol variations of about 1 K in mean daily air temperatures in autumn and winter with periodicities of 4–7 sols that might be related to baroclinic disturbances that are frequent in those seasons at high latitudes. We examine the evolution of the vertical thermal gradient and temperature fluctuations without finding a seasonal response to irradiance and dust load. We find that the convective boundary layer becomes isothermal and collapses 1 hr before sunset except during northern hemisphere winter, when the collapse occurs closer to sunset, implying a longer duration of the daytime convective instability. Around this period, the rover was located in the delta front in a location of complex topography where we observed stronger thermal gradients and intense daytime air temperature fluctuations. We also find in this place a nighttime event of gravity waves on near‐surface air temperatures, with amplitudes of 2 K and periods of 10 min. These waves possibly propagate downward through a near isothermal stable layer. The Perseverance rover on Mars is carrying a meteorological station that among other measurements obtains air temperatures at three heights near the surface as well as ground temperatures. We analyze seasonal and local changes in temperatures measured over one Martian year (687 Earth days) in which Perseverance moved several kilometers across Jezero crater, comparing in situ observations with the output from a Global Climate Model of the atmosphere of Mars. Our results show that the diurnal cycle of temperatures is modulated by the solar irradiance on the surface, the amount of dust in the atmosphere, local dynamics and large‐scale weather systems. The temperature difference between the ground and the atmosphere greatly determines the meteorology in the lower atmosphere. Neither this temperature difference, nor temperature fluctuations, which during daytime are a proxy of atmospheric convection driven by the heating of the surface, show seasonal variations in line with the seasonal solar irradiance or dust load. Instead, the rover path toward a more complex topography led to the highest surface‐to‐air temperature difference during the northern hemisphere winter, despite the solar irradiance being minimum at that time. Close to this complex topography, the meteorological station recorded oscillations in near‐surface temperature related to gravity waves. Seasonal variations in irradiance at Mars' surface drive observed daily mean near‐surface air temperatures with some differences from modelsThermal tides and long‐period traveling waves present a clear seasonal cycle with autumn and winter seasons more prone to variabilityAir temperatures underwent non‐seasonal changes near Jezero's delta, with strong daytime convection and nighttime gravity waves Seasonal variations in irradiance at Mars' surface drive observed daily mean near‐surface air temperatures with some differences from models Thermal tides and long‐period traveling waves present a clear seasonal cycle with autumn and winter seasons more prone to variability Air temperatures underwent non‐seasonal changes near Jezero's delta, with strong daytime convection and nighttime gravity waves