It is a surprise. Analysis of images from a Mars orbiter has revealed the unexpected presence of large quantities of frost at the top of the main volcanoes on the Red Planet.
Martian frost
Scrutinized for decades, the planet March was until recently known to harbor significant ice deposits ofwater at its poles. A few months after the identification of a vast underground reservoir of this material at its equator, researchers discovered that it also appeared on the highest reliefs of our neighbor.
To reach this conclusion, the authors of the new study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, took photos of icy volcanic peaks using the color camera of the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter probe. Estimation of surface temperatures confirmed that it was not carbon dioxide ice, which can have a similar appearance.
It turns out that this frost forms exclusively in the morning during Martian winters, near the summits of volcanoes in the Tharsis region, including 22.2 kilometer-high Olympus Mons.
“ If this material formed from gases escaping from the volcano, it should be visible all year round », Underlines Adomas Valantinas, of Brown University. “ The fact that it only appears during the coldest periods of the year indicates that it results from the freezing of water vapor present in the Martian atmosphere. »
A dynamic water system
Illustrating the dynamism of Mars’ water system, this discovery also shows, according to the team, that water can be found in most of its regions.
“ Knowing where ice forms on the surface of Mars, particularly from atmospheric processes, is essential for accurate weather forecasting. », Comments Susan Conway, from the University of Nantes. “ We already knew that polar ice was moving in the atmosphere, these new observations show us where it is going. »
Intriguing recent discoveries made on the surface of the Red Planet include hundreds of small black spider-like spots and a hole approximately 200 meters deep.
