Calculates the optical depth of the Martian atmosphere as a function of latitude and season.
The optical depth varies spatially and temporally, with peaks during global dust storms.
Implements Equations 1 and 2 from Appelbaum, Landis & Sherman (1991).
Usage
optical_depth(Ls, phi, model = 1)
Arguments
- Ls
Areocentric longitude [deg]
- phi
Planetary latitude [deg]
- model
Dust storm model (1 or 2). Model 1 assumes both storms originated at -30° latitude.
Model 2 assumes storms at -30° (Ls=215°) and -10° (Ls=295°)
Value
Atmospheric optical depth (dimensionless, minimum 0.5)
Examples
# Calculate optical depth at Viking Lander 1 site during dust storm season
tau <- optical_depth(Ls = 215, phi = 22.3, model = 1)