Discovering the “impossible” presence of frost on the mountains of Mars!

review Natural earth sciences Today I published an article describing the discovery frozenfrozen In tops VolcanoesVolcanoes Tharsis, a region of Mars that is home to many volcanoes, including Mount Olympus, the highest in the solar system. Collaboration between investigationsEuropean Space AgencyEuropean Space Agencyorbital gas tracking and Mars ExpressMars ExpressHe made this astonishing observation. The plaques from the monitors, a finer device that contains 150,000 tons of water, is suitable for 60 Olympic Games, which evaporates sous l'effet on the same day. At sunrise.

This discovery challenges previous beliefs that frost forms at… latitudeslatitudes Equatorial measurements of Mars were impossible due to the planet's atmospheric conditions. The researchers identified a small microbeclimateclimate Specific air circulation over the Tharsis volcanoes, which favors condensation and frost deposition, especially in areas shaded by CalderaCaldera volcanic. the WindWind Air bodies carry moist air to higher altitudes, where it condenses and turns into frost.

As Adomas Valentinas, author of the study, points out, scientists believe “ It is impossible for frost to form around itequatorequator Mars, because the mixture of sunlight andAtmosphereAtmosphere The weak ones maintain relatively high temperatures on the surface and mountain tops, unlike what we see on Earth, where we might expect to see frozen mountain tops. “.

Microclimate above the volcanoes of Tharsis

To understand how frost is formed, scientists explained that this frost may form due to a Local climateLocal climate Especially resulting from the circulation of air over the volcanoes of Tharsis, in particular due to Magma chambersMagma chambers Which was emptied during past eruptions. Researchers believe that the air circulates in a certain way above Tharsis, creating a unique microclimate within the volcanic calderas, allowing frost spots to form.

These frost patches form mainly in shaded areas of the volcano's caldera, where temperatures are cooler. ” Winds move up mountain slopes, carrying relatively humid air near the surface to higher altitudes, where it condenses and settles as frost. “, explains co-author Nicholas Thomas, principal investigator of the imaging system colorcolor and surface stereolithography (CaSSIS) of TGO.

The discovery of frost at the Martian equator raises questions about the Red Planet's unique atmospheric and climatic processes, with implications for atmospheric dynamics and the water cycle. This scientific progress is also promising for future exploration of Mars and the search for potential life forms near these volcanoes.