March 2015 - February 2018
The goals of the UPWARDS project match the topics, challenges and scope of the Compet-8-2014 call (Horizon 2020). The UPWARDS Consortium undertake five grand science themes which challenge our current understanding of the complex couplings of the Mars climate:
- exchange of trace species between subsurface & atmosphere;
- global cycle of Martian water;
- surface properties and behaviour of suspended aerosols and dust storms;
- drastic changes at the day/night terminator;
- coupling of the lower and upper atmosphere and escape to space.
All topics are addressed by experts in the field, exchanging results and knowledge in a truly synergistic and interdisciplinary collaboration.
UPWARDS has as its overarching objective the revision and exploitation of data from the European Mars Express (MEx) mission as well as other Martian missions using a synergistic combination of state-of-the-art atmospheric/subsurface models and novel retrieval tools. UPWARDS will
- address major open science questions which require an integrated understanding of the Mars coupled system from the subsurface to the upper atmosphere;
- prepare for ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter data analysis and exploitation; and
- deliver enhanced scientific context and datasets for ExoMars 2018 Rover operations and future missions.
The Planetary Atmospheres group of IASB-BIRA is a partner of the project. IASB will be involved in the GCM modelling of the water cycle and of the atmosphere state at the terminator. IASB is also involved in WPs devoted to the improvement of retrieval codes, in particular for the detection of clouds in the UV and to study the impact of photochemistry on the retrieval of ozone by solar occultation in the UV.
"From Mars Express to Exomars" Workshop
27-28 Feb. 2018 - To finish UPWARDS in a blaze of glory, an interdisciplinary workshop was organized in collaboration with ESAC. The science research topics were mainly focused on the analysis and revision of datasets from present and past missions around Mars, especially Mars Express but also international collaborations with MAVEN, MSL, MRO, etc, in preparation for the exploitation of the Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter measurements. The Martian community responded enthusiastically to the call.
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UPWARDS Final Review Meeting
26 Feb. 2018 - The EU Horizon2020 project UPWARDS has come to an end. After 3 years of hard work, the Planetary Aeronomy team has proudly presented their results at the Final Review meeting. This took place near Madrid, at the ESAC facility. The results of the consortium were presented to the European Commission officer and the evaluator.
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Scientific Workshop ``From Mars Express to Exomars ´ ´: First announcement
Oct 31, 2017 - The Interdisciplinary Workshop devoted to revise our current understanding of Mars, from the surface to the upper atmosphere, in the eve of the Exomars TGO operational science phase will be held on 27 28 February 2018, at ESAC (ESA), Madrid, Spain
The "Martian Puzzle". A virtual visit
Jul 11, 2017 - You can do a virtual tour to "The Martian Puzzle" exhibition
UPWARDS 2nd Year Review Meeting @ INAF, Rome, Italy
March 27th, 2017 to March 28th, 2017 - Please find here the summary of the Meeting (partners only)
The "Let's go to Mars!" app launched!
Dec 29, 2016 - With the "Let's go to Mars" App, the player will have to explore Mars and face its many dangers in order to build the first human colony in the red planet
UPWARDS: the documentary
Jan 22, 2016 - UPWARDS: Understanding Planet Mars is a signature documentary film about key questions about Mars produced by the project's outreach & communication team.
UPWARDS' First Progress Meeting @M6
Sep 17, 2015 - The UPWARDS consortium met last September 17th for exchanging thoughts about the progress of the project
The shooting of 'UPWARDS: Re-thinking MARS' has ended
Sep 12, 2015 - After three weeks of filming across Europe, the shooting part of the documentary about the Red Planet 'UPWARDS: Re-Thinking MARS' has finished
UPWARDS, a cutting-edge project for global understanding of Mars
Jul 09, 2015 - Co-ordinated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), the project involves seven European scientific institutions which are developing new analytical techniques to exploit the Mars Express and the future ExoMars missions.
