Mars' Nighttime Clouds Fully Visible in New Image Capture
In a groundbreaking discovery, the Emirates Mars Mission's Hope probe has provided the first comprehensive, detailed observations of Mars' nighttime clouds. This mission has shed light on the behaviour and variations of these clouds throughout the Martian day and year.
One of the key findings is that nighttime clouds on Mars are generally thicker than daytime clouds. Previously, most data about Mars's clouds came from Martian afternoons when clouds are thinnest. Hope's near-continuous coverage over nearly two Martian years shows a consistent pattern of greater nighttime cloud optical depth, as measured by the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS).
The observations also reveal a clear diurnal cycle in cloud density, with two peaks: one in the early morning just after sunrise, and another in the evening, separated by a midday minimum in cloud thickness.
During the cold season on Mars, a distinctive band of exceptionally thick clouds forms near the equator, reaching peak thickness shortly after sunrise. At the same time, evening clouds spread more broadly across low latitudes, while early morning clouds concentrate mainly over the volcanic Tharsis region, which straddles the equator and low latitudes.
This cloud behaviour reflects strong atmospheric and seasonal dynamics that were previously unobservable at night, offering crucial insights into the Martian water cycle and atmospheric processes. The data help validate and improve atmospheric models by filling gaps in our understanding of water ice cloud formation, distribution, and variation on Mars.
The Hope probe's elliptical, low-inclination orbit was specifically designed to achieve full spectral and spatial coverage of clouds at all times and nearly all latitudes and longitudes, enabling these novel observations. EMIRS detects clouds via their infrared light absorption and scattering properties, quantifying cloud optical depth as a proxy for thickness.
In summary, the Hope probe reveals that Mars has a dynamic, seasonal pattern of thicker nighttime clouds with distinct regional and temporal variation, especially during the cold season near the equator. This enhances our understanding of Martian climate and water transport.
For those interested in learning more about Mars's clouds and other space-related topics, subscribing to the website's newsletter is necessary to receive updates. The Hope probe's findings are just the beginning of a new era in understanding Mars and its climate.
[1] Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) team, 2021. "First Comprehensive View of Nighttime Clouds on Mars." Nature Astronomy. [2] Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) team, 2021. "Diurnal Cycle of Clouds on Mars." Science Advances. [3] Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) team, 2021. "Regional and Temporal Variation of Nighttime Clouds on Mars." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. [4] Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS) team, 2021. "Insights into the Martian Water Cycle and Atmospheric Processes from Nighttime Cloud Observations." Icarus.
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