The NASA Perseverance Rover's latest encounter is with a "dust devil" on Mars, and it is the first observation of this climate phenomenon on the neighboring planet. While dust devils are things that manifest on Earth regularly, it is a new thing for Mars, and Percy was able to record its sound and relay it to researchers here on the home planet.
Researchers marvel at this discovery because it provides a gateway to understanding the Martian atmosphere more, giving more information about its rapid wind structure that is still unknown to humans.
NASA Perseverance Rover Records 'Dust Devil' on Mars
(Photo : NASA via Getty Images)
NASA's Perseverance rover recently recorded significant data using its microphone from a recent passing of a dust devil on the Red Planet, and according to CNET, researchers used this to learn more about its atmosphere.
While NASA has previous observations of dust devils on Mars in previous observations, this is the first time that its rover was able to record its sound, one that brings definitive data to research groups.
The recent recording came from Perseverance's SuperCam, which was able to capture both video and audio which it sent to the planet for researchers to analyze. Percy's direct encounter with the dust devil took place last September 27, 2021.
Dust devils are not extraterrestrial beings or mythical creatures, but rather strong whirlwinds that form vortexes occurring from strong surface heating.
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Perseverance Rover's Data and Research Findings
In research published in Nature's journal, researchers were able to note that it happens more often in the Jezero crater region, rather than other locations on the planet.
Moreover, the researchers were able to identify its size which is taller than a 30-story building and stretched 82 feet wide.
The study also determined the size of the grains of sand which made an impact on Percy's instruments. This data will help in future instrumentation designs and mission planning says the researchers.
Mars and its Study
The main mission of the Perseverance rover's existence on Mars is to learn more about the neighboring planet and give NASA and its partners more data and information about its structure, land, and more. One of its recent discoveries is the trove of organic materials found in the Jezero crater region, right around Percy and Ingenuity's base of operations.
Indeed, present images and surveys of Mars find no signs of visible water or even pieces of evidence of what was once there, but with NASA looking closely using its rovers and other tools, there is more to learn about the planet.
It serves as a gateway to future ventures to Mars, especially with the possibility of harboring human life in an upcoming crewed mission towards the Earth's next-door neighbor.
While water and land are where NASA and Perseverance's focus is, there are still other factors to consider in the Martian study to learn more about the planet and processes. Its climate, atmosphere, and weather are also things that NASA needs to factor in and understand in its study, with sound recordings of the recent dust devil's manifestation helping bridge a wider study of the planet.
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