Dust Devil Tracks

Dust Devil Tracks

Many areas on Mars experience the passage of giant dust devils. A thin coating of fine bright dust covers most of the Martian surface. When a dust devil goes by it blows away the coating and exposes the underlying dark surface, which within a few weeks assumes its former bright colour, either from being re-covered through wind action or some form of oxidation through exposure to sunlight and air. Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface. The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.[1]

These dust devils have been seen from the ground and high overhead from orbit. They have even blown dust off the solar panels of the two Rovers on Mars, thereby greatly extending their usefulness.[2] The pattern of the tracks has been shown to change every few months.[3]

References

  1. ^ HiRISE | (PSP_00481_2410). Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.
  2. ^ Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Release Images: Spirit. Marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.
  3. ^ [1][dead link]



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dust devil — For other uses, see Dust devil (disambiguation). A dust devil in Arizona …   Wikipedia

  • Devil Soldier — Studio album by Loudness Released July 21, 1982 …   Wikipedia

  • Devil (Babes in Toyland album) — Devil Compilation album by Babes in Toyland Released May 2000 Recorded Various Genre Punk rock, grunge …   Wikipedia

  • Devil Driver — DevilDriver DevilDriver DevilDriver sur scène au Ozzfest en 2007 Pays d’origine Santa Barbara …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Devil driver — DevilDriver DevilDriver DevilDriver sur scène au Ozzfest en 2007 Pays d’origine Santa Barbara …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Noachis quadrangle — 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 (Mars Chart 27).[1] The Noachis… …   Wikipedia

  • Geology of Mars — Mars   Mars as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope Designations …   Wikipedia

  • Diacria quadrangle — Map of Diacria quadrangle from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data. The highest elevations are red and the lowest are blue Coordinates …   Wikipedia

  • Mars Global Surveyor — Artist s conception of Mars Global Surveyor Operator NASA Major contractors Orbiter Satellite of …   Wikipedia

  • Mare Australe quadrangle — 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 (Mars Chart 30).[1] The Mare …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”