PFS for Mars Express: A new approach to study Martian atmosphere Original Research Article

PFS, a Fourier spectrometer for the study of the Martian atmosphere, will fly on Mars Express. For the first time the study of the 15 μm CO2 absorption band, which gives the vertical temperature-pressure profile, will be carried out simultaneously with the retrieval of the aerosols number density vertical profile using multi bands approach and using the measured ground pressure from the 2 μm CO2 absorption band. It will enable us to get the vertical structure of the Martian atmosphere, the water vapour column abundance and vertical distribution, and the vertical distribution of the dust. A comparison with all the previously flown spectrometers will be presented.