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            --.    THE INTERNATIONAL MARS WATCH ELECTRONIC NETWORK
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        ::::       25 November 1996

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Here is an update from Todd Clancy on the preliminary results from
his most recent microwave observations of Mars atmospheric temperatures
and atmospheric dust activity:

>From clancy@isidis.colorado.edu Thu Nov 21 10:08:26 1996
>Subject: cold and clear
>
>I've analyzed another Mars CO spectrum taken yesterday at Kitt Peak. 
>Mars is now at 6 arcsec, Ls=40.  Yesterday's spectrum was very high
>S/N, and it shows the whole atmosphere cooling down rapidly as Mars
>approaches aphelion.  It is now ~10K at all altitudes than it was in
>September, which was also very nominal compared to that same season
>(Ls~10) in every other year (except Viking in 1978).  The current
>(Ls=40) measurement impies global water saturation at ~9 km, once again
>consistent with temperature observations over the past 3 consecutive
>Mars aphelions (and HST cloud imaging).  I expect we'll see the low
>latitude cloud belt more distinctly in our next week HST imaging.  I'll
>be at Kitt Peak at roughly the same time (Nov 29-Dec1, Thanksgiving
>weekend!) doing earth and Mars spectral line observations.  Hope to get
>HDO and CO spectra for Mars, weather permitting.
>
>Todd

--Jim Bell

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Cornell University
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