eprintid: 10198550 rev_number: 8 eprint_status: archive userid: 699 dir: disk0/10/19/85/50 datestamp: 2024-11-14 16:10:43 lastmod: 2024-11-14 16:10:43 status_changed: 2024-11-14 16:10:43 type: thesis metadata_visibility: show sword_depositor: 699 creators_name: Patel, Priya title: Image Processing Techniques for Studying Water in the Martian Atmosphere ispublished: unpub divisions: UCL divisions: B04 divisions: C06 divisions: F63 abstract: Water is crucial in understanding Martian climatology, with water-ice clouds and atmospheric water vapour playing a large role in the planet's water cycle. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the Martian atmosphere using rover data, with a focus on three primary objectives: water-ice cloud characterisation, multi-model comparisons of wind dynamics, and water vapour detection techniques.\\ The investigation commenced with the analysis of water-ice clouds over Jezero Crater, utilising cloud movies collected by the Navigation Camera (NavCam) on the Perseverance Rover. Advanced image processing methods, including image segmentation, thresholding, and 2D Fourier Transforms (2D-FFT), facilitated the identification of cloud formations, varying in size from 2.90 km to 15.25 km across altitudes of 30 km to 50 km. A novel application of the box-counting method revealed the multifractal nature of these clouds, marking a significant and first-of-its-kind discovery in Martian cloud research. \\ The Dynamic Adaptive Cloud Tracking (DACT) algorithm, developed as part of this research, enabled the calculation of wind speeds from cloud movements, offering new perspectives on Martian wind patterns at altitudes otherwise difficult to study. Utilizing Mars Climate Sounder data, cloud altitudes during the Aphelion Cloud Belt season at Jezero Crater were determined. Comparative analysis with the mesoscale MarsWRF and the global PCM models showed alignment in observed wind speeds with both models. However, discrepancies in wind direction with PCM suggest potential future model refinements.\\ Lastly, the thesis explores the capability of PanCam's solar filters on the upcoming Rosalind Franklin Rover to detect atmospheric water vapour at Oxia Planum. Using the Planetary Spectrum Generator, a modelled transmission difference of 0.91\% was noted between the 925nm and 935nm filters, indicative of water vapour presence. This analytical approach, validated by experimental observations on Earth, underscores the use of these filters in water vapour studies for future Mars missions. date: 2024-10-28 date_type: published oa_status: green full_text_type: other thesis_class: doctoral_open thesis_award: Ph.D language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 2327758 lyricists_name: Patel, Priyaben lyricists_id: PPATA63 actors_name: Patel, Priyaben actors_id: PPATA63 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public pages: 288 institution: UCL (University College London) department: Space and Climate Physics thesis_type: Doctoral citation: Patel, Priya; (2024) Image Processing Techniques for Studying Water in the Martian Atmosphere. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London). Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10198550/1/PriyaThesis_WithCorrections.pdf