[Previous] | [Session 34] | [Next]
B. A. Cantor, M. C. Malin, K. S. Edgett (Malin Space Science Systems)
During the past three Martian years, the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera (MGS/MOC) has observed a number of dust raising events (more than 2000) on Mars. These dust events have been observed in all seasons and at a range of elevations from the depths of Hellas basin to the caldera of Arsia Mons. Dust events come in varying forms and sizes from a few tens of meters across (dust devils) to planet encircling.
Because such meteorological phenomena, including cloud patterns, are a direct result of atmospheric dynamics, they can be used to monitor seasonal and interannual Martian atmospheric processes. MOC observations during a portion of the northern summer, southern winter seasons (Ls=124-140) have shown that several atmospheric events repeat from one year to the next. This repeatability suggests a previously unobserved level of overall stability in the present Martian climate up to the time of the planet encircling dust event in 2001 (Ls~184). This research is supported by JPL contracts 959060 and 1200780.