In a new study, planetary scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have begun to unravel the factors that kick off major dust storms on Mars—weather events that sometimes engulf the entire planet in swirling grit. The team discovered that relatively warm and sunny days may help to trigger these dust storms.
Understanding Martian Dust Storms
Heshani Pieris, lead author of the study, stated that these findings are a first step toward forecasting extreme weather on Mars, much like scientists do on Earth. "Dust storms have a significant effect on rovers and landers on Mars, not to mention what will happen during future crewed missions to Mars," said Pieris, who is a graduate student at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at CU Boulder. "This dust is very light and sticks to everything."
The researchers extracted real observations from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to analyze the dust storm phenomena. They identified weather patterns underlying approximately two-thirds of major dust storms on the Martian surface. Although there are no meteorologists on Mars yet, this step could lead to developing a solid understanding of the planet's meteorological dynamics over time.
“We need to understand what causes some of the smaller or regional storms to grow into global-scale storms,” explained study co-author Paul Hayne, a researcher at LASP and associate professor at the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences. “We don't even fully understand the basic physics of how dust storms start at the surface.”
The Formation of Dust Storms
Many Martian dust storms begin as smaller events that swirl around the polar ice caps, primarily during the latter periods of the Martian year (which lasts approximately 687 Earth days). The storms evolve rapidly, moving toward the equator and engulfing vast areas of the planet's surface.
For instance, a global dust storm in 2018 buried NASA's Opportunity rover under a thick layer of dust, leading to its operational demise shortly thereafter. During the storm, the wind pressure may not have been significant enough to topple equipment; however, the dust particles, building up speed, could pose risks to both future crewed missions and robotic rovers due to their abrasive characteristics.
Impact of Temperature Variations
The current research investigates two distinct weather patterns known as “A” and “C” storms. The team meticulously examined data from NASA's Mars Climate Sounder on the MRO over an expanse of eight Martian years (approximately 15 Earth years). They specifically searched for periods characterized by anomalously warm conditions, during which greater amounts of sunlight filtered through Mars’ thin atmosphere to heat the surface.
Through their analysis, they found that about 68% of major storms were preceded by a notable rise in temperatures near the surface. “It's almost like Mars has to wait for the air to get clear enough to form a major dust storm,” said Hayne.
Dust Storm Triggers
Understanding the mechanics behind these storms is crucial for future exploration. The researchers theorized that warming sometimes causes the atmosphere adjacent to the surface to become buoyant, leading to the uplift of dust particles into the atmosphere. This process is reminiscent of how thunderstorms form on Earth during hot summer conditions.
Future Research and Implications
Pieris and Hayne aim to gather data regarding more recent years on Mars to further investigate the relationships between temperature fluctuations and dust storms. Their ultimate goal is to develop a predictive model for Martian weather, enabling scientists to anticipate dust storm events.
“This study is not the end-all, be-all of predicting storms on Mars,” Pieris mentioned. “But we hope it’s a step in the right direction.”
In conclusion, the findings from CU Boulder underscore the dynamic and complex nature of Martian dust storms, revealing significant insights into Martian weather patterns and their potential implications for future missions. Understanding these phenomena is critical not only for robotic probes but also for human explorers who will set foot on Mars in the coming decades.
For More Information
Reference: Universetoday
