Dust devils often appear here on Earth when wind columns kick up debris in deserts, but this crazy weather spectacle happens on Mars, too. While Martian dust devils may look somewhat similar to those on Earth, they are much larger and can spin much faster.
NASA Pperseverance The Mars rover recently captured the sound of dust devils, revealing the sounds of sparks and mini sonic booms created by the swirling winds. Perseverance records, as explained in a new study published in Natureconfirm that the movement of dust in these Martian mini-tornadoes can cause electrical discharges in the atmosphere. This discovery opens up new possibilities in understanding the climate of Mars and the chemical reactions that occur there.
Read more: Einstein's theory turned out to be correct: Mars has its own clock, and it runs faster than on Earth
Dust devils on Mars
WITH Perseverance Upon landing on Mars in 2021, its SuperCam microphone was able to record 55 electrical events, 16 of which occurred when dust devils passed directly above the rover.
While on Earth dust devils are most common in desert regions, on Mars they can occur almost anywhere on the planet. Weathering under the influence of ancient water and wind has transformed the entire Red Planet dusty.
Dust devils on Mars materialize due to heating of the surface by sunlight. As air heats up as it approaches the ground, it rises above the denser, cooler air in the column. As other air fills the space left by the rising warmer air, it begins to spin and also enters the column, moving so fast that the resulting vortex kicks up dust.
Listening to Electrical Charges
Decades ago, scientists theorized that Martian dust devils could create electrical arcs when grains of dust swirled and rubbed against each other, a phenomenon known as the triboelectric effect.
“The triboelectric charge of sand and snow particles is well known on Earth, especially in desert regions, but it rarely results in true electrical discharges,” said Baptiste Chide, a planetary scientist at L'Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planetologie in France, in his paper. statement. “On Mars, the thin atmosphere makes this phenomenon much more likely because the amount of charge required to produce sparks is much lower than what is required in Earth's near-surface atmosphere.”
Two events recorded Perseverance were especially known to researchers; In the Sol 215 dust devil, sounds of electrical activity and the dust devil itself were recorded moving above the rover. In the sound of the dust devil on Sol 1296, the researchers heard the particles impacting the microphone.
These two events, as well as 35 other emissions associated with dust stormsshowed signs of the triboelectric effect, including sparks associated with charge separation—when two objects touch, transfer electrons, and separate.
Answers hidden in the dust
The clicks and pops of electrical activity from dust devils are exactly what researchers love to hear. That's because sonic evidence of electrical discharges on Mars could change what we know about the planet; the charges show that chemical reactions in the Martian atmosphere can create oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide that can break down organic molecules on the surface.
Electrochemistry on Mars could also help explain why methane is disappearing so quickly from the planet and help scientists search for Martian life.
Researchers say many unknown factors remain regarding dust transport on Mars and its impact on the planet's climate. And while electrical discharges haven't adversely affected any robotic equipment on Mars in decades of navigation, knowing how they work could allow scientists to pinpoint the risks associated with dusty conditions on future missions.
Read more: Fine Martian dust may pose a health hazard to astronauts
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