Mars, an arid and silent planet, seemed frozen under its thin reddish atmosphere. However, beneath this apparent tranquility, forces much more intense than imagined regularly agitate its surface. New visual data, crossed with large-scale automated analyses, today reveal the existence of violent winds on Mars, capable of raising columns of dust at unsuspected speeds. These discoveries challenge established models and open a new window on the atmospheric dynamics of the Red Planet.
To analyze this gigantic set of images, researchers at the University of Bern used artificial intelligence. Thanks to this, a neural network learned to spot dust swirls by exploring tens of thousands of photos. More than a thousand whirlpools have been identified. Some reach speeds in excess of 160 km/h. In comparison, rovers on the ground had never measured such powerful winds.
Valentin Bickel, lead author of the study published in Science Advances, emphasizes that these data reveal a whole section of atmospheric activity that had previously escaped climate models. The precise analysis of the direction and speed of more than 370 of these vortices made it possible to draw up a dynamic map of Martian winds, a first on a planetary scale.
Strong winds on Mars mapped using artificial intelligence
The winds on Mars don't just move dust. In reality, they lift significant quantities with each pass. This is sometimes enough to modify the local climate, according to the most recent observations. In fact, each year, between 3,000 and 80,000 tonnes of particles rise into the Martian air. This volume varies according to the seasons and the regions studied. Once in suspension, Martian dust affects the temperature. It blocks part of the sun during the day, but retains heat at night.
Until recently, general circulation models of the Martian atmosphere largely underestimated these effects. The work of the international team revealed that the winds measured by the orbiters exceeded the speeds predicted by the Mars Climate Database in 76 to 96% of cases. This means that the dynamics of the lower atmospheric layers have long been poorly understood, or even neglected, in simulations.
The images also show that the fastest winds follow straight paths, while the slowest zigzag. This observation could make it possible to estimate the intensity of future winds simply from the shape of the traces they leave on the ground. The study also highlights the importance of regions such as Amazonis Planitiawhere conditions favor the recurrent formation of these vortices. These flat and widely exposed plains receive strong insolation in summer, which promotes thermal instability and the birth of vortices.
According to CNN, scientists have also been able to spot whirlpools at more than 70,000 feet above sea level, on the edge of volcanic calderas. This detail is crucial, because it demonstrates that violent winds on Mars are not limited to low altitudes. They also affect reliefs, with potentially amplified effects.
What this new data changes for research and exploration
Beyond the purely scientific aspect, these observations have concrete implications for space missions. Martian dust constitutes a well-known danger for vehicles equipped with solar panels. The rover Opportunity saw its mission aborted in 2019 after being overwhelmed by a global storm. The robot InSightfor its part, stopped broadcasting in 2022 because of too large a deposit on its panels.
Paradoxically, some whirlwinds can be beneficial. In 2009, one of them cleaned the rover's solar panels Spiritextending its mission. Knowing where and when these phenomena occur will therefore make it possible in the future to choose landing zones more intelligently and to optimize the chances of survival of long missions.
Valentin Bickel's team adds that these data, regularly enriched, are already used to determine the landing site of the future European rover Rosalind Franklinplanned for 2030. By anticipating the frequency of vortices, engineers can estimate how often the panels will need to be cleaned and adapt the missions' energy strategy.
The fundamental role of these winds in the Martian dust cycle also raises broader questions. The evolution of Mars' climate, the transformation of its landscapes and even the capacity to accommodate manned missions depend on it. The study also suggests that similar winds, invisible to the naked eye, could impact other rocky planets in the solar system.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
