Spring Dust Storms at the North Pole of Mars
Explanation:
Spring reached the
north pole of Mars in May,
and brought with it the usual
dust storms.
As the
north polar cap begins to thaw,
a temperature difference occurs between the cold frost
region and recently thawed surface, resulting in
swirling winds between the adjacent regions.
In the
above image mosaic from the
Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft currently orbiting
Mars,
the white material is
frozen carbon dioxide that covers much of the extreme north.
The
choppy clouds
of at least three dust storms can be identified.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
