Frequent appearance of a strange Giant cloud Sure Mars Scientists have been very troubled since the 1970s.

L ‘Arasia Mons Increased Clouds (AMEC) is a massive cloud that can extend up to about 1,800 km on Mars. It was first taken by a Russian probe in the 1970s and takes place every year around the southern solstice of the red planet. This event also generates winds up to 600 km / h. Some believe it was the result of a large-scale volcanic eruption. But this is just a guess.

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A team of ESA scientists looked at the cloud’s life cycle in hopes of uncovering its mystery. To do this, he dubbed a camera Mars Webcam (VMC), which is founded on the Mars Express space probe.

A wind event

AMEC is the largest geographical cloud ever seen on the fourth planet in the solar system. According to the ESA, it is formed when air is pushed upward by topographic features (such as mountains or volcanoes) on the surface of Mars. The cloud cluster undergoes a diurnal growth cycle that begins before sunrise. It expands rapidly as it originates from the Martian volcano Arcia Mons. It evaporates as the day warms.

The incident is recurring for 80 days or more, with two and a half hour episodes per day. This made it possible to follow it for a long time. But its ephemeral nature, Martian atmospheric changes, and the difficulty of orbiting complex matters. In addition, although it enjoys a wider field of vision, Mars Webcam There is a mediocre resolution, equivalent to computer dating since 2003 …

The need to reveal the mystery of AMEC

There are geographical clouds on Earth, but they do not reach the magnitude ofArasia Mons Increased Clouds. « Understanding this cloud gives us an opportunity to try to resume its construction with models that will then improve our knowledge about climate systems on Mars and Earth. », Explained Agustin Sanchez-Levega, co-author of the study and researcher associated with the University of the Basque Country.