Dust Storm Options

[Bob Shaw]

I'll have to meet Ed.  It looks like he's got a really nice telescope.

It also looks like he's mastered the art of TouCam image-stacking - it's a joy to see amateurs taking such images!

Bob Shaw

[Bob Shaw]

How frequently do global dust storms occur on Mars? I know there was one in 2001 and one in 1971 but that's all I'm aware of. Surely there must have been many more recorded in the last century.

There's a pattern to them, based on the rather more elliptical orbit which Mars has and which leads to the southern hemisphere having a greater range of temperatures than the north - colder winters, warmer (but still frigid) summers. Just count on dust storms at oppositions!

Bob Shaw

[jamescanvin]

How frequently do global dust storms occur on Mars? I know there was one in 2001 and one in 1971 but that's all I'm aware of. Surely there must have been many more recorded in the last century.

Somewhere I heard a quote that there had been 10 recorded since 1877.

Looking into it a bit further there appear to have planet wide storms in

1877 (Schiaparelli), 1909, 1924, 1941, 1956, 1971 (Mariner 9), 1973, 1977 (x2? Viking), 1994 and 2001.

James

[slinted]

There is fresh activity being seen VERY close to Opportunity, as visible in some of the imaging done earlier today.

5:30 UT : http://marswatch.amaonline.com/10-28-050030.jpg
6:00 UT through 7:59 UT : http://www.arksky.org/asoimg/MarAF4AD5A.jpg

I took Dr. P. Clay Sherrod's 07:38 image and fit it to a JPL Solar System Sim image of the same time, which I marked with Opportunity's landing site. I transfered that mark over onto a overlapping version of the webcam image and with permission from Dr. Sherrod I present it here to you.

It isn't a perfect lineup or position marking, though as you can see, a little difference goes a long way. This one is close!

[djellison]

I wonder what imagery Damien Peach has managed to get.

Doug

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

Whoah !!! thats close. Would Opportunity be able to see this in the sky?

[Marcel]

Whoah !!! thats close.  Would Opportunity be able to see this in the sky?

I think yes. This looks in the order of tens of miles away. Oppy better start close her eyes.....or at least...find a way to point her panels to the sun as much as possible. This storm looks huge !! Any insights on the direction of atmospheric movement these time of year on Mars ? I hope it's going westward...

[Bill Harris]

BTW, by convention, and I presume that they still do this, on astronomical images of planets, South is up.

I fear that this may be not-good for Oppy. Remember that we observed wind immediately blowing evaporite dust from the tracks the other day, so there is an increase in the wind velocity from the northwest.

--Bill

[akuo]

I think this dust storm is already on top of Oppy. It looks like to me that there is one "finger" of dust extending over Oppy's position. See the comparison of these images from the original observer:

http://www.arksky.org/asoimg/MarAF4B178.jpg

This could be a very serious situation.

[ljk4-1]

I think this dust storm is already on top of Oppy. It looks like to me that there is one "finger" of dust extending over Oppy's position. See the comparison of these images from the original observer:

http://www.arksky.org/asoimg/MarAF4B178.jpg

This could be a very serious situation.

The green colors in these images - are those real or artifacts? What is causing them if they are real?

[Tman]

On the ASO website http://www.arksky.org/asoimglib.htm (by "Object to Browse:" enter Mars, and "date:" 10.28.2005) there are some weird notes about this "dust storm". Do they wonder whether it be caused by an impact?

[alan]

The green colors in these images - are those real or artifacts?  What is causing them if they are real?

The green color was mentioned at http://spaceweather.com/ on Oct 21.
It may be a combintion of the yellow dust and high blue clouds

[Rakhir]

"The storm has seven appendages that stretch in all directions.
The overall cloud is about 700 to 800 miles across.
It is spreading at a speed of about 35 mph and may become larger by the weekend."

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/051028_mars_storm.html

Rakhir

[slinted]

BTW, by convention, and I presume that they still do this, on astronomical images of planets, South is up.

You're absolutely correct. I rotated Sherrod's original image to north-up so as to conform to the JPL SSS image, and to make it a bit more familar for those who only know the Opportunity site from north-up maps. Sorry if that caused any confusion.

[Guest_paulanderson_*]

"The storm has seven appendages that stretch in all directions.
The overall cloud is about 700 to 800 miles across.
It is spreading at a speed of about 35 mph and may become larger by the weekend." 

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/051028_mars_storm.html

Rakhir

Good article, although they don't mention Sherrod's other comments (quoted below, re Tman's post #26) from the ASO web site or how close it is to Oppy. Have these kinds of odd "extensions" been seen before in Martian dust storms?

"There is an incredibly brilliant outbreak, perhaps yellow dust, between Margaritifer Sinus and Sinus Meridiani this morning, this developing from a minor yellow cloud just 24 hours ago. This feature is so bright that it is difficult to accurately image it without greatly underexposing the rest of the Martian features surrounding it. Note the (at least) seven (7) "fingers" or extensions that seem to radiate or spread outward from a large central area of unprecedented intensity. This odd area was first noted early this morning by Frank Melilo and Joel Warren and as it has rotated into view I believe that it has actually rapidly intensified in brightness. Hopefully west coast (USA) observers will get this as well.... I would appreciate the opinions and input of others, but honestly with the symmetry of the radiations emanating from this bright spot, I am not sure that we cannot rule out a catastrophic outflow, similar to that of eruption or even impact in nature. This does appear, because of the concentration in brilliance and the rapidity of development, to be extraordinary in nature."

There is also an animation now on the ASO web site.