Hope Probe tracks Mars dust storms

WAM

The Emirates Mars Mission, the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation, has delivered a host of unique data on Martian dust storms revealing new information on how they evolve and spread across the planet.

The Hope Probe provides a powerful platform to observe details of the structure and variability of the Martian atmosphere.

Starting in late December 2021, the satellite monitored a rapidly-evolving storm as it expanded to a size of over several thousand kilometres.

Hope's constant readings on temperature and the distribution of dust, water vapour, and water and carbon-dioxide ice clouds, has given unprecedented insights into the nature and character of the storms.

As the Martian season approaches southern spring, dust storm activity typically becomes more pervasive. The Hope observatory is a valuable orbiting asset in documenting the location and evolution of these storms on the planet.

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