The Mars Orbiter captures active “dust devils” swirling through the canyon system on the Red Planet
The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared interesting images of the Mamers Valles on Mars, taken by the Mars Express spacecraft, which has been exploring the Martian landscape since its launch in 2003. The images show dozens of dust devils swirling through one of the planet’s vast valley networks, revealing winds far stronger than models previously predicted. According to European Space AgencyDust devils form when Mars heats up in the sun, causing the air just above the surface to swirl and carry the dust with it.
“Martian dust devils are similar to those we see in dry, dusty landscapes on Earth, but much larger: up to eight kilometers tall, roaming for kilometers at a time, and reaching a maximum speed of 45 meters per second,” the European Space Agency wrote.
The images were captured by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), one of eight instruments aboard the Mars Express rover. It reveals about 30 active dust devils, which appear as small yellow dots with trailing pink “shadows.”
Scientists have previously calculated that the wind speeds of these dust devils reach 158 km/h (98 mph), which is faster than anything recorded by ground vehicles.
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About Mamerz Valis
Mamers Valles is a group of canals located within a long, winding valley in the northern region of Mars. The region extends about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) in length, and dates back approximately 3.8 billion years, to a period in Mars’ history known as the Late Noachian Era.
“Mars Express has visited this region of Mars before, photographing the surrounding areas of both Mamers Valles (2008) and neighboring Deuteronilus Mensae (2019),” ESA wrote.
