A gathering of dust devils
Click for full resolution image.
A bunch of cool images! The European Space Agency (ESA) today released more than a dozen Martian images taken by the camera on its Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft.
In addition to a snapshot of InSight and its landing area, “The images selected include detailed views of layered deposits in the polar regions, the dynamic nature of Mars dunes, and the surface effects of converging dust devils.” The release also included images showing details of two of Mars’ giant volcanoes, Olympus Mons and Ascraeus Mons.
The image I have highlighted to the right, reduced to post here, shows a spot on Mars where for some unknown reason dust devils love to congregate.
This mysterious pattern sits on the crest of a ridge, and is thought to be the result of dust devil activity – essentially the convergence of hundreds or maybe even thousands of smaller martian tornadoes.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of this image (on the right) with a Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) image taken in 2009 (on the left).
It is plainly obvious that there has been a lot of dust devil activity at this one spot over the past decade. While numerous tracks have been added to the south of the ridge, the tracks on the ridge’s northwest have faded.
Why dust devils leave so many tracks here remains a mystery. The ridge is in the center of a large crater, and probably is part of that crater’s central peak. The link suggests that atmospheric conditions involving the change in elevation at the ridge might play a part, but how is not really understood. You don’t see this dust devil gathering along most other ridges on Mars.
Today’s image dump demonstrates that Trace Gas Orbiter is ready to provide support, both visually as well as a communications satellite, for both InSight and Europe’s 2020 rover, Rosalind Franklin. That ESA waited to release all these images in one batch, however, rather than one at a time over several months, only illustrates their complete lack of understanding about how to do good publicity. Released bit-by-bit they could garner more attention, over a longer period of time. Dumped all at once they gain only a one time burst of attention.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Click for full resolution image.
A bunch of cool images! The European Space Agency (ESA) today released more than a dozen Martian images taken by the camera on its Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft.
In addition to a snapshot of InSight and its landing area, “The images selected include detailed views of layered deposits in the polar regions, the dynamic nature of Mars dunes, and the surface effects of converging dust devils.” The release also included images showing details of two of Mars’ giant volcanoes, Olympus Mons and Ascraeus Mons.
The image I have highlighted to the right, reduced to post here, shows a spot on Mars where for some unknown reason dust devils love to congregate.
This mysterious pattern sits on the crest of a ridge, and is thought to be the result of dust devil activity – essentially the convergence of hundreds or maybe even thousands of smaller martian tornadoes.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of this image (on the right) with a Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) image taken in 2009 (on the left).
It is plainly obvious that there has been a lot of dust devil activity at this one spot over the past decade. While numerous tracks have been added to the south of the ridge, the tracks on the ridge’s northwest have faded.
Why dust devils leave so many tracks here remains a mystery. The ridge is in the center of a large crater, and probably is part of that crater’s central peak. The link suggests that atmospheric conditions involving the change in elevation at the ridge might play a part, but how is not really understood. You don’t see this dust devil gathering along most other ridges on Mars.
Today’s image dump demonstrates that Trace Gas Orbiter is ready to provide support, both visually as well as a communications satellite, for both InSight and Europe’s 2020 rover, Rosalind Franklin. That ESA waited to release all these images in one batch, however, rather than one at a time over several months, only illustrates their complete lack of understanding about how to do good publicity. Released bit-by-bit they could garner more attention, over a longer period of time. Dumped all at once they gain only a one time burst of attention.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Cool!
Looks very similar to the Alien language Jodi Foster worked on in the movie “Contact”.
I recall quite some time ago when the first noted appearance of these random “squiggles” on the surface caused all sorts of speculation. Until an image was captured showing the ‘shadow’ of the “squiggle” maker during its “writing”.
Very Cool ! as Phill O wrote.