Images captured by NASA’s The curiosity rover showed rare iridscent clouds floating through the Martian sky. These formations, observed in the twilight of the planet, were seen at high altitudes where sunlight still reaches them, despite dusk on the surface. The images were taken on January 17, using one of the cameras aboard the Rover, with individual stitched frames to create a time lapse video. Scientists are analyzing these cloud patterns to obtain information about atmospheric processes and climatic conditions of Mars.
Details of the discoveries
ONE report From the NASA jet propulsion laboratory (JPL) detailed that these high altitude clouds, composed of carbon dioxide ice, were seen floating between 60 and 80 kilometers above the surface. Cold temperatures at these heights cause condensation of carbon dioxide, forming distinct cloud structures. Some of the ice crystals were observed descendants before evaporating approximately 50 kilometers, where temperatures begin to rise.
As reported By Space.com, that this is the fourth Martian year in which curiosity recorded these cloud formations. The phenomenon was first observed by NASA’s Pathfinder mission in 1997, which captured images of a place north of the Martian Ecuador.
Specialized analysis in Martian clouds
In a statement to NASA JPL, Mark Lemmon, atmospheric scientist at the Institute of Space Sciences in Colorado, noted that the first sighting of these iridescent clouds was initially considered an anomaly of color. He pointed out that their seasonal recurrence allowed researchers to predict their appearance and plan observations in advance.
Last year, scientists produced the broader map of the Mars Cloud, compiled from two decades of data collected by Mars Express Orbiter of the European Space Agency. This study classified a series of cloud formations, including not seen on Earth standards. Daniela Tirsch, a planetary geologist at the German Aerospace Center, commented at the time that the Martian clouds exhibit significant diversity.
UNKNOWED QUESTIONS ABOUT Cloud formation
Observations So far, they have been limited to specific regions, clouds of twilight detected by the Rover Perseverance, which landed in Jezero’s crater in 2021. This led scientists to question what makes certain areas more conducive to their formation.
Lemmon explained that it was not expected that carbon dioxide condensed on ice at these altitudes, suggesting an unknown cooling mechanism at work. He pointed to the waves of atmospheric gravity as a possible factor, although his role in Martian climate patterns remains uncertain. Additional studies are designed to better understand these cloud formations and their implications for the planet’s climate.