Think you have to be involved in science to participate in exploring the red planet? Think again!
There is so much to learn about Mars, and you can be a part of it. When was the last time you helped planetary scientists get a better understanding of another planet’s climate?
By simply helping to locate and mark features on the surface known as ‘fans’ and ‘blotches,’ you will have found features that indicate wind direction and speed on Mars.
From tracking these features over several Martian years (a Martian year is 687 Earth days), you would be able to see how they form, evolve, disappear and reform – ultimately helping in understanding the climate.
Let’s take a look at some examples. All of the images for the project concern the planet’s southern polar region, an area we haven’t extensively explored. The first image is of six ‘fans’ from three sources, and the second is of a ‘blotch’ feature.
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
Do the features form in the same spot every year? How do they change?
It’s not exactly clear how ‘fans’ and ‘blotches’ occur, but here’s what many planetary scientists think happens.
Mars has four seasons that are roughly twice as long as those on Earth. In the southern hemisphere during autumn, a seasonal layer of carbon dioxide ice forms on the southern pole.
During winter, this layer turns into translucent slab ice. In the spring, the sun penetrates and warms the ground below, causing the ice to turn directly into gas from the bottom. This process is known as sublimation.
Due to the ice turning directly into gas, the gas becomes trapped underneath the ice layer under increasing pressure. Any crack or rupture that develops will allow gas to burst through. Loose material eroded from the ground will be carried with the gas, and upon reaching the surface of the ice, will be blown downwind into fan-shaped deposits. If there’s no wind, the materials will not be blown and will drop straight down and form a ‘blotch.’
When summer arrives in the southern hemisphere, the carbon dioxide will melt and the ‘fans’ will blend back into the surface. Once this happens, they won’t be visible anymore. When summer is over and autumn begins, the process begins again and slowly erodes wide, shallow channels into the ground. The channels are known as ‘spiders,’ or araneiform. The image below shows both ‘spiders’ and ‘fans.’
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
There is a huge quantity of images to go through by a small group of scientists, and help from civilian volunteers are contributing greatly to the project. Multiple people will contribute to each image and an average of the markings will be taken, which will allow for a reliable map of both ‘fans’ and ‘blotches’ to be made.
What will the map ultimately provide? The first large scale measurement of wind on Mars!
Images for the project are from a spacecraft that orbits Mars called the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). They were taken by the orbiter’s HiRISE camera, or High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment.
Without stepping a foot off of the planet, you can help explorer another world millions of miles away. Planet Four provides a unique opportunity to be hands-on in the discovery of features on the surface of Mars. Check it out!
Learn more about NASA’s spacecraft, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) at NASA.gov.