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Astronomers say regional dust storms play a surprisingly large role in losing water to Mars, warming the cold Martian atmosphere at high altitudes, and preventing water vapor from freezing.
They explained that as a result, the water molecules reach the thin layers of the gaseous atmosphere, where they decompose into hydrogen and oxygen under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, according to what “Sputnik” cited from a published study. in the journal nature.
Researchers believe Mars has lost most of its water to dust storms, but they haven’t focused on the significance of the regional dust storms that occur almost every summer in the southern hemisphere of the planet. .
The study confirmed that global dust storms that spread across the planet and occur every three to four Martian years are the main cause of drought, along with the hot summer months in the southern hemisphere. as Mars approaches the sun.
Scientists analyzed data obtained by Mars Reconnaissance Moon, which measured water temperature, dust and ice at an altitude of about 100 km above the surface of Mars. NASA’s space probe measured the amount of hydrogen dissociating from a water molecule at an altitude of 1,000 km above the surface.
Observations indicated a glow in the upper atmosphere caused by hydrogen, which rose 50 percent during dust storms.
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