MRO Mars Climate Sounder (MCS)

ODE: Mars

Mission: MRO

Instrument: MCS

PDS Imaging Node: PDS Source Information

Find MRO MCS data in Mars ODE: Product Search • Map Search

The Mars Climate Sounder is a follow-on experiment to PMIRR, the Pressure Modulator Infrared Radiometer lost with the Mars Observer spacecraft, and to PMIRR2, lost with the Mars Climate Orbiter. MCS observes radiation with 21 detectors in each of nine spectral bands; eight thermal infrared channels are used to characterize atmospheric temperature, pressure, water vapor, and condensates, while the remaining spectral channel (operating in the visible and near infrared, 0.3-3.0 microns) is used primarily to understand the effects of solar radiation on the Martian energy budget.

MCS looks near the horizon of Mars at the atmospheric limb to observe the atmosphere in 21 vertical samples simultaneously, with measurements centered approximately 5 kilometers through the atmosphere at the limb. From these observations vertical distributions (“profiles”) of temperature, pressure, water vapor, dust, and condensates are determined. These profiles are combined into daily, three-dimensional global maps for both daytime and nighttime. Analyzing these profiles and maps should lead to a better understanding of Martian weather and, eventually, of Martian climate.

MCS offers three data sets, the Experiment Data Record (EDR) data set, the Reduce Data Record (RDR) data set, and the Derived Data Record (DDR) data set. EDRs are raw data from the spacecraft. EDRs are processed into RDRs. DDRs are derived from the RDR data set. Most users will want to use the RDRs and DDRs. Information about MCS products can be found in:

You may also search MCS images through the PDS Atmospheres Node.