Martian dust devils

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A dust devil captured by the Curiosity rover in 2020 PIA24039-MarsCuriosityRover-DustDevil-20200809.gif
A dust devil captured by the Curiosity rover in 2020

Martian dust devils are convective atmospheric vortices that occur on the surface of Mars. They were discovered from data reported by NASA's Viking probes, and have been photographed by orbiting satellites and surface rovers in subsequent missions.

Contents

Although comparable to terrestrial dust devils in formation and appearance, Martian dust devils can be many times larger than ones found on Earth. They can be powerful enough to pose a threat to rovers and other technology, [1] although some documented encounters have actually benefitted rovers by cleaning them of dust.

Observation

Martian dust devil photographed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This dust devil is 800 meters tall and 30 meters wide. The Serpent Dust Devil on Mars PIA15116.jpg
Martian dust devil photographed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This dust devil is 800 meters tall and 30 meters wide.

The existence of dust devils on Mars was confirmed by analysis of data from the Viking probes in the early 1980s. Photographs from the Viking orbiters revealed tracks across the Martian surface suspected to be caused by dust devils, and data from the landers' meteorological instruments confirmed convective vortices as the cause. [2] Orbital photographs previously taken by Mariner 9 also showed surface lineations initially thought to be the ridges of seif dunes, but they were also shown to be dust devil tracks based on the data from Viking. [3]

Martian dust devils have since been detected and photographed by both orbiting satellites and rovers on the surface. The Mars Pathfinder rover detected 79 convective vortices through atmospheric pressure data, and imaged several dust devils with its wide-angle camera. [2] On 7 November 2016, five dust devils ranging in height from 0.5 to 1.9 kilometers were imaged in a single observation by the Mars Orbiter Mission in the Martian southern hemisphere. [4] On 27 September 2021, the Perseverance rover directly encountered a Martian dust devil, imaging and recording the sound of the vortex as it passed, the first such observation in the history of Mars exploration. [5]

Perseverance Rover recorded a very tall dust devil in the distance on Aug. 30, 2023. It was about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) away and was moving east to west at about 12 mph (19 kph). Its width was about 200 feet (60 meters). Even though only the bottom 387 feet (118 meters) of the devil was visible in the camera frame, scientists estimated its total height at about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) based on the length of its shadow [6] ---higher than the average tornado on Earth. [7]

Formation and characteristics

Dust devils on Mars form by the same basic mechanism as ones on Earth; specifically, solar energy heats the Martian surface, causing warm air near the ground to rise through the cooler air above, creating an updraft. Horizontal wind then causes rotation, forming a vortex. The lifting of surface material through the vortex creates a visible dust devil. On average, however, Martian dust devils are about three times as large as their terrestrial counterparts. The largest vortices can reach heights of up to 8 kilometers and widths of up to 700 meters, and last more than 25 minutes. [8] [9] The greater height of Martian dust devils may be due to a planetary boundary layer which is several kilometers thicker on average than Earth's. [10]

Whirlwind viewed by the Perseverance rover in 2023. PIA26074-MarsPerseveranceRover-Whirlwind-20230830.gif
Whirlwind viewed by the Perseverance rover in 2023.

Dust devils occur very frequently on Mars. One team of researchers have calculated a rate of 1 event per sol for each square kilometer of the Martian surface. [11] [12] [13]

As on Earth, they occur during warmer times of year. Research has revealed highly predictable seasonal behavior, with activity escalating sharply just before Martian vernal equinox, peaking in midsummer, and declining after the autumnal equinox. Amazonis Planitia has been identified as the region most prone to dust devil activity on Mars. [14]

Dust devils are believed to play an important role in the climate of Mars. By uplifting large amounts of surface material high above the ground, they may be responsible for as much as 30% of the dust found in the Martian atmosphere, which creates a warming effect and regulates the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. As they expose lower, darker-colored layers of regolith, the change in surface albedo may alter local climates. [10]

Large dust devils may pose a danger to equipment from Earth. [1] However, some vortices have had beneficial effects. In 2005, the Spirit rover directly encountered a dust devil which blew off the dust which had accumulated on the rover's solar panels, dramatically increasing power levels and enhancing research productivity. [15] Sudden, unexpected recovery of power output was also experienced periodically by the Opportunity and Sojourner rovers, considerably expanding their operational lifetimes. Dust devils were suspected as the cause of these recoveries. [10]

Tracks

Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images of dust devil tracks. Mars dust devil tracks.jpg
Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images of dust devil tracks.

The tracks left by Martian dust devils are distinguished by their dark, filament-like appearance, although lighter-colored tracks have also been observed. [16] Their patterns reveal several notable trends regarding the behavior of dust devils on Mars. The paths tend to be straight or curvilinear, and can be up to 75 kilometers in length. Tracks generally run from east to west in both hemispheres, although those in the northern hemisphere frequently indicate a northeast-to-southwest orientation. [3]

Surface photography has revealed that track patterns are highly transient due to dust storms and other phenomena which frequently erase the tracks, allowing completely new patterns to form. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Viking 2</i> Space orbiter and lander sent to Mars

The Viking 2 mission was part of the American Viking program to Mars, and consisted of an orbiter and a lander essentially identical to that of the Viking 1 mission. Viking 2 was operational on Mars for 1281 sols. The Viking 2 lander operated on the surface for 1,316 days, or 1281 sols, and was turned off on April 12, 1980, when its batteries failed. The orbiter worked until July 25, 1978, returning almost 16,000 images in 706 orbits around Mars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utopia Planitia</span> Impact basin on Mars

Utopia Planitia is a large plain within Utopia, the largest recognized impact basin on Mars and in the Solar System with an estimated diameter of 3,300 km (2,100 mi). It is the Martian region where the Viking 2 lander touched down and began exploring on September 3, 1976, and the Zhurong rover touched down on May 14, 2021, as a part of the Tianwen-1 mission. It is located at the antipode of Argyre Planitia, centered at 46.7°N 117.5°E. It is also in the Casius quadrangle, Amenthes quadrangle, and the Cebrenia quadrangle of Mars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazonis Planitia</span> Planitia on Mars

Amazonis Planitia is one of the smoothest plains on Mars. It is located between the Tharsis and Elysium volcanic provinces, to the west of Olympus Mons, in the Amazonis and Memnonia quadrangles, centered at 24.8°N 196.0°E. The plain's topography exhibits extremely smooth features at several different lengths of scale. A large part of the Medusae Fossae Formation lies in Amazonis Planitia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memnonia quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Memnonia quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Memnonia quadrangle is also referred to as MC-16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmosphere of Mars</span> Layer of gases surrounding planet Mars

The atmosphere of Mars is the layer of gases surrounding Mars. It is primarily composed of carbon dioxide (95%), molecular nitrogen (2.8%), and argon (2%). It also contains trace levels of water vapor, oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and noble gases. The atmosphere of Mars is much thinner than Earth's. The average surface pressure is only about 610 pascals (0.088 psi) which is less than 1% of the Earth's value. The currently thin Martian atmosphere prohibits the existence of liquid water on the surface of Mars, but many studies suggest that the Martian atmosphere was much thicker in the past. The higher density during spring and fall is reduced by 25% during the winter when carbon dioxide partly freezes at the pole caps. The highest atmospheric density on Mars is equal to the density found 35 km (22 mi) above the Earth's surface and is ≈0.020 kg/m3. The atmosphere of Mars has been losing mass to space since the planet's core slowed down, and the leakage of gases still continues today. The atmosphere of Mars is colder than Earth's. Owing to the larger distance from the Sun, Mars receives less solar energy and has a lower effective temperature, which is about 210 K. The average surface emission temperature of Mars is just 215 K, which is comparable to inland Antarctica. Although Mars' atmosphere consists primarily of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse effect in the Martian atmosphere is much weaker than Earth's: 5 °C (9.0 °F) on Mars, versus 33 °C (59 °F) on Earth. This is because the total atmosphere is so thin that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide is very weak, leading to less warming. The daily range of temperature in the lower atmosphere is huge due to the low thermal inertia; it can range from −75 °C (−103 °F) to near 0 °C (32 °F) near the surface in some regions. The temperature of the upper part of the Martian atmosphere is also significantly lower than Earth's because of the absence of stratospheric ozone and the radiative cooling effect of carbon dioxide at higher altitudes.

An extraterrestrial vortex is a vortex that occurs on planets and natural satellites other than Earth that have sufficient atmospheres. Most observed extraterrestrial vortices have been seen in large cyclones, or anticyclones. However, occasional dust storms have been known to produce vortices on Mars and Titan. Various spacecraft missions have recorded evidence of past and present extraterrestrial vortices. The largest extraterrestrial vortices are found on the gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn, and the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Mars</span> Climate patterns of the terrestrial planet

The climate of Mars has been a topic of scientific curiosity for centuries, in part because it is the only terrestrial planet whose surface can be easily directly observed in detail from the Earth with help from a telescope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jezero (crater)</span> Crater on Mars

Jezero is a crater on Mars in the Syrtis Major quadrangle, about 45.0 km (28.0 mi) in diameter. Thought to have once been flooded with water, the crater contains a fan-delta deposit rich in clays. The lake in the crater was present when valley networks were forming on Mars. Besides having a delta, the crater shows point bars and inverted channels. From a study of the delta and channels, it was concluded that the lake inside the crater probably formed during a period in which there was continual surface runoff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars</span> Fourth planet from the Sun

Mars is the fourth planet and the furthest terrestrial planet from the Sun. The reddish color of its surface is due to finely grained iron(III) oxide dust in the soil, giving it the nickname "the Red Planet". Mars's radius is second smallest among the planets in the Solar System at 3,389.5 km (2,106 mi). The Martian dichotomy is visible on the surface: on average, the terrain on Mars's northern hemisphere is flatter and lower than its southern hemisphere. Mars has a thin atmosphere made primarily of carbon dioxide, and two irregularly shaped natural satellites, Phobos and Deimos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noachis quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Noachis quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Noachis quadrangle is also referred to as MC-27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diacria quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Diacria quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The quadrangle is located in the northwestern portion of Mars’ western hemisphere and covers 180° to 240° east longitude and 30° to 65° north latitude. The quadrangle uses a Lambert conformal conic projection at a nominal scale of 1:5,000,000 (1:5M). The Diacria quadrangle is also referred to as MC-2. The Diacria quadrangle covers parts of Arcadia Planitia and Amazonis Planitia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazonis quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Amazonis quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Amazonis quadrangle is also referred to as MC-8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eridania quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Eridania quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Eridania quadrangle is also referred to as MC-29.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyre quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Argyre quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Argyre quadrangle is also referred to as MC-26. It contains Argyre Planitia and part of Noachis Terra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mare Australe quadrangle</span> Map of Mars

The Mare Australe quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Mare Australe quadrangle is also referred to as MC-30. The quadrangle covers all the area of Mars south of 65°, including the South polar ice cap, and its surrounding area. The quadrangle's name derives from an older name for a feature that is now called Planum Australe, a large plain surrounding the polar cap. The Mars polar lander crash landed in this region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark slope streak</span> Surface feature of Mars

Dark slope streaks are narrow, avalanche-like features common on dust-covered slopes in the equatorial regions of Mars. They form in relatively steep terrain, such as along escarpments and crater walls. Although first recognized in Viking Orbiter images from the late 1970s, dark slope streaks were not studied in detail until higher-resolution images from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft became available in the late 1990s and 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazonian (Mars)</span> Time period on Mars

The Amazonian is a geologic system and time period on the planet Mars characterized by low rates of meteorite and asteroid impacts and by cold, hyperarid conditions broadly similar to those on Mars today. The transition from the preceding Hesperian period is somewhat poorly defined. The Amazonian is thought to have begun around 3 billion years ago, although error bars on this date are extremely large. The period is sometimes subdivided into the Early, Middle, and Late Amazonian. The Amazonian continues to the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tianwen-1</span> Interplanetary mission by China to place an orbiter, lander, and rover on Mars

Tianwen-1 Chinese: 天问一号 is an interplanetary mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) which sent a robotic spacecraft to Mars, consisting of 6 spacecraft: an orbiter, two deployable cameras, lander, remote camera, and the Zhurong rover. The spacecraft, with a total mass of nearly five tons, is one of the heaviest probes launched to Mars and carries 14 scientific instruments. It is the first in a series of planned missions undertaken by CNSA as part of its Planetary Exploration of China program.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Mars:

<i>Zhurong</i> (rover) Chinese rover on Mars

Zhurong is a Chinese rover on Mars, the country's first to land on another planet after it previously landed two rovers on the Moon. The rover is part of the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars conducted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Peter; Renno, Nilton (6 June 2001). "Studying Earth Dust Devils For Possible Mars Mission". UniSci News. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2006.
  2. 1 2 Ringrose, T.J.; Towner, M.C.; Zarnecki, J.C. (2003). "Viking Lander 1 and 2 revisited: the characterisation and detection of Martian dust devils" (PDF). Sixth International Conference on Mars: 3017. Bibcode:2003mars.conf.3017R – via Lunar and Planetary Institute.
  3. 1 2 Grant, John A.; Schultz, Peter H. (11 October 1985). "Possible Tornado-like Tracks on Mars". Science. 237 (4187): 883–885. doi:10.1126/science.237.4817.883. JSTOR   1699893. PMID   17771377. S2CID   38437445 – via JSTOR.
  4. ↑ Singh, Ramdayal; Arya, A.S. (29 January 2019). "Martian Dust Devils Observed by Mars Colour Camera Onboard Mars Orbiter Mission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "NASA's Perseverance Records a Martian Dust Devil". NASA Mars. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  6. ↑ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia26074-martian-whirlwind-takes-the-thorofare
  7. ↑ https://www.foxweather.com/learn/how-tall-is-a-tornado
  8. ↑ "Martian dust devils in action". European Space Agency. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Reiss, D. et al. 2011. Multitemporal observations of identical active dust devils on Mars with High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC). Icarus. 215:358–369.
  10. 1 2 3 Lorenz, Ralph D. (July 2020). "Dust devils on Mars". Physics Today. 73 (7): 62–63. Bibcode:2020PhT....73g..62L. doi: 10.1063/PT.3.4531 . S2CID   225606274.
  11. ↑ https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1207&context=physics_facpubs
  12. ↑ Jackson, B., et al. 2018. A Framework for Relating the Structures and Recovery Statistics in Pressure Time-Series Surveys for Dust Devils. Boise State University ScholarWorks.
  13. ↑ Jackson, Brian; Lorenz, Ralph; and Davis, Karan. (2018). "A Framework for Relating the Structures and Recovery Statistics in Pressure Time-Series Surveys for Dust Devils". Icarus, 299, 166-174. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.07.027
  14. ↑ Fenton, Lori K.; Lorenz, Ralph (1 November 2016). "Dust devil height and spacing with relation to the martian planetary boundary layer thickness". Icarus. 260: 246–262. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.07.028 – via ScienceDirect.
  15. ↑ David, Leonard (12 March 2005). "Spirit Gets A Dust Devil Once-Over". Space.com. Retrieved 1 December 2006.
  16. ↑ Icarus, Dennis (24 September 2010). "Mars Dust-Devil Mystery Solved on Earth". Wired. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  17. ↑ Atwood-Stone, Corwin (23 March 2013). "Dust Devil Tracks and Slope Streaks on Martian Sand Dunes". HiRISE. University of Arizona.
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