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Scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder have come close to solving the reasons that cause large-scale dust storms on Mars. A new study shows that relatively warm and sunny days may be the trigger for these phenomena, which sometimes cover the entire planet, writes Phys.
"Dust storms significantly affect the operation of rovers and probe missions, and also pose a challenge for future manned missions",” said Heshani Pieris, lead author of the study. She presented the results at the American Geophysical Union conference on December 10, 2024.
The researchers used data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to analyze weather conditions on Mars over eight years. They found that about 68% of large dust storms started after a sudden increase in surface temperature. This resembles Earth's weather processes, when heated air rises, picking up dust particles.
Even though Mars' atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, storms can still cause problems. For example, in 2018, a global dust storm disabled the rover Opportunity, covering its solar panels with dust.
The researchers hope that their work will provide a basis for predicting such phenomena in real time, which is important both for scientific research and for the safety of future missions. "This is not the final step in predicting storms on Mars, but it is an important step in the right direction.", — concluded Pieris.
We will remind you that within the next 25 years, humanity expects the appearance of private space stations and an increase in the number of missions to the Moon and, possibly, to Mars. Companies like Axiom Space and Blue Origin are actively working to build private space stations. The Moon will be the primary destination for future missions, as it is easier to reach than Mars.
Scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder have come close to solving the reasons that cause large-scale dust storms on Mars. A new study shows that relatively warm and sunny days may be the trigger for these phenomena, which sometimes cover the entire planet, writes Phys.
"Dust storms significantly affect the operation of rovers and probe missions, and also pose a challenge for future manned missions",” said Heshani Pieris, lead author of the study. She presented the results at the American Geophysical Union conference on December 10, 2024.
The researchers used data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to analyze weather conditions on Mars over eight years. They found that about 68% of large dust storms started after a sudden increase in surface temperature. This resembles Earth's weather processes, when heated air rises, picking up dust particles.
Even though Mars' atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, storms can still cause problems. For example, in 2018, a global dust storm disabled the rover Opportunity, covering its solar panels with dust.
The researchers hope that their work will provide a basis for predicting such phenomena in real time, which is important both for scientific research and for the safety of future missions. "This is not the final step in predicting storms on Mars, but it is an important step in the right direction.", — concluded Pieris.
We will remind you that within the next 25 years, humanity expects the appearance of private space stations and an increase in the number of missions to the Moon and, possibly, to Mars. Companies like Axiom Space and Blue Origin are actively working to build private space stations. The Moon will be the primary destination for future missions, as it is easier to reach than Mars.
