The Perseverance rover recently captured fascinating images of a rare phenomenon on Mars: an exceptionally large dust tornado, commonly referred to as a “dust devil,” moving across the Martian landscape.
The rover discovered this swirling storm on August 30, during its 899th solar or Martian day on the Red Planet. For about 84 seconds the rover recorded the movements of this dust devil as it raged on a ridge about 4 kilometers from its location. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) posted a time-lapse of the phenomenon online on September 29, showing the action at 20 times faster speeds.
The Devil’s Tornado: a monumental column of dust on Mars
This impressive tornado was moving at about 12 mph (19 km/h) and was about 200 feet (61 meters) wide. In the video, it reached a maximum height of 387 feet (118 meters). However, the upper portion of the storm was cut off, leaving its true height unknown. However, researchers believe that this tornado was of exceptional magnitude.
Mark Lemmon, planetary scientist, associated with Boulder Space Science Institute, Colorado, and a member of the Perseverance rover science team shared important information about this Mars tornado. He explained: “We cannot see the tip of the dust devil. But the shadow it casts gives us a good indication of its height. Most of these formations are vertical columns. If this dust devil had a similar structure, its shadow would suggest that it reached an impressive height of around 2 kilometers.”
Dust devils, commonly called “dust devils,” form when a combination of rising cells of warm air interacts with descending columns of colder air. This phenomenon also occurs on Earth, especially in dry, dusty areas like Arizona. In these locations they are generally between 10 and 300 feet (3 to 91 meters) wide. But also an altitude of 500 to 1,000 feet (152 to 305 meters). At least that’s what data from the National Weather Service suggests.
Tornadoes that defy earthly norms
According to the press release, Martian dust devils are less powerful and smaller than their counterparts on Earth. However, the hurricane was recently filmed on Mars was much more impressive.
According to researchers’ estimates, it is exceeds the average of classic American tornadoes. However, according to FOX Weather, these can measure between 1,640 and 4,920 feet (500 to 1,500 meters).
The exact reason for the extraordinary size of this dust devil Remains unknown. Unlike a terrestrial tornado, which is limited by the height of the clouds above it, there appear to be no similar restrictions on the height of a dust devil on Mars.
A 2018 study published in the journal Icarus suggested this could be the case on Mars At least one dust devil per square kilometer every day. This corresponds to a total of around 145 million vertebrae per day. Therefore, it is likely that dust devils play a dominant role in transporting dust to the surface of Mars.
Secrets Revealed: The Perseverance and Curisity Rovers Search for Answers About Dust Devils
Due to the significant impact that dust devils have on the morphology of the Martian environment, Endurance and Curiosity Rover Constantly monitor the presence of these phenomena nearby.
So far, Perseverance has witnessed numerous dust tornadoes, Space.com reports. In 2021, a historic milestone was reached as a researcher managed to record the sound of a dust devil directly above the Perseverance Rover.
This advance allowed the rover to follow the movement of particles in the vortex. This provides valuable information about their origin and development.
Massive fire tornado on the sun!
The largest fire tornado (the devil’s) in the solar system! “This thing has been writhing and growing for 3 days now! I’ve never seen anything like this since I’ve been watching the sun.
March 17, 2023
Apollo Lasky pic.twitter.com/EZYFKD44F8– Archangel (@Dayofpunisher) March 22, 2023
Dust devils aren’t the only unusual tornadoes documented this year. In March, a A massive “solar tornado” was observed on the surface of the sun. This is 14 times the size of Earth. This manifestation lasted for more than three days after the interaction of a plasma plume with a rapidly rotating magnetic field.