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Snow storms and winter wonderland on Mars!



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 6th 04, 05:12 PM
Abdul Ahad
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Default Snow storms and winter wonderland on Mars!

Calling all Martian meteorology experts out there!

Given that we have seen sometimes quite prominent clouds over the
Martian polar regions, I wonder if it would snow in the high
latitudes, much as it does here on Earth? I am thinking a large
proportion of the seasonal expansion of Mars' polar caps could be down
to snowfall accumulating from the atmosphere, rather than 100% ground
frost. I know there is some credible supposition that the cloud
formations on Mars most likely contain water vapour in addition to CO2
and there have been some cyclonic activity, with very strong winds,
seen over the poles by MGS in April 1999.

Could all this result in occasional snow showers that will make a nice
winter wonderland for future settlers? They might go skiing even!

Any comments anyone?
Abdul Ahad
http://uk.geocities.com/aa_spaceagen...eprojects.html
  #2  
Old January 19th 04, 02:16 AM
Dave Austin
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Default Snow storms and winter wonderland on Mars!

(Abdul Ahad) wrote in message om...
Calling all Martian meteorology experts out there!

Given that we have seen sometimes quite prominent clouds over the
Martian polar regions, I wonder if it would snow in the high
latitudes, much as it does here on Earth? I am thinking a large
proportion of the seasonal expansion of Mars' polar caps could be down
to snowfall accumulating from the atmosphere, rather than 100% ground
frost. I know there is some credible supposition that the cloud
formations on Mars most likely contain water vapour in addition to CO2
and there have been some cyclonic activity, with very strong winds,
seen over the poles by MGS in April 1999.

Could all this result in occasional snow showers that will make a nice
winter wonderland for future settlers? They might go skiing even!

Any comments anyone?
Abdul Ahad
http://uk.geocities.com/aa_spaceagen...eprojects.html

In one of the raw images from the panoramic camera on the Spirit rover
I see formations on the surface that look strangely like snow drifts.
In one drift there appears in the foreground a bell shaped outward
flared cone around the end of a rock. It looks to be tipped with
icicles. Has anyone noticed this? Have any theories? Is it possible to
test this material with the instrument package on the rover's arm to
identify what it is? If it is wind blown sand, how could sand retain a
shape like an icicle? If it is snow, is it CO2 snow or H2O snow or a
combination of both?
Dave Austin
  #3  
Old February 2nd 04, 03:27 PM
Abdul Ahad
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Snow storms and winter wonderland on Mars!

(Dave Austin) wrote in message . com...
(Abdul Ahad) wrote in message om...
Calling all Martian meteorology experts out there!

Given that we have seen sometimes quite prominent clouds over the
Martian polar regions, I wonder if it would snow in the high
latitudes, much as it does here on Earth? I am thinking a large
proportion of the seasonal expansion of Mars' polar caps could be down
to snowfall accumulating from the atmosphere, rather than 100% ground
frost. I know there is some credible supposition that the cloud
formations on Mars most likely contain water vapour in addition to CO2
and there have been some cyclonic activity, with very strong winds,
seen over the poles by MGS in April 1999.

Could all this result in occasional snow showers that will make a nice
winter wonderland for future settlers? They might go skiing even!

Any comments anyone?
Abdul Ahad
http://uk.geocities.com/aa_spaceagen...eprojects.html

In one of the raw images from the panoramic camera on the Spirit rover
I see formations on the surface that look strangely like snow drifts.
In one drift there appears in the foreground a bell shaped outward
flared cone around the end of a rock. It looks to be tipped with
icicles. Has anyone noticed this? Have any theories? Is it possible to
test this material with the instrument package on the rover's arm to
identify what it is? If it is wind blown sand, how could sand retain a
shape like an icicle? If it is snow, is it CO2 snow or H2O snow or a
combination of both?
Dave Austin


Are you able to reference the picture/specifics in question? I am
intrigued as the Mars rovers have both landed close to the equator and
all the pictures show only sand drifts as far as I could see.

AA
 




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