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A curious elongated cloud, extending west of the Arsia Mons volcano on March, seen in a March Express image taken October 10, 2018. Click here for an annotated version of this image, which is via ESA.
The European Space Agency (ESA) said on October 25, 2018, that its Mars Express spacecraft has acquired hundreds of images over a period of a curious cloud on March. ESA has tracked the cloud since September 13, as it hovers in the vicinity of the 12-mile-high (20-km-high) Arsia Mons volcano, close to Mars' equator.
It looks as if it could volcanic, does not it? Yet that would be highly unlikely, since scientists have never detected any form of volcanic activity on Mars; it appears to be a geologically dead world. ESA said the cloud is not volcanic. Instead, it is driven by ordinary meteorological conditions, not unlike those found on Earth. ESA explained:
In spite of its location, this atmospheric feature is not linked to volcanic activity but is rather a water ice cloud driven by the influence of the volcano's leeward [downwind] slope on the air flow lee cloud – and a regular phenomenon in this region.
The cloud on September 21, 2018, via ESA / Mars Express.
The cloud extends about 900 miles (1.500 km) west of the volcano. As a comparison, the cone-shaped volcano has a diameter of about 155 miles (250 km); you can see a view of the region with labels here.
Mars experienced its northern winter solstice on October 16, bringing winter into northern hemisphere and its southern Hemisphere. ESA said:
In the months leading up to this solstice, most cloud activity disappears over big volcanoes like Arsia Mons; Its summit is covered with clouds throughout the rest of the Martian year.
However, a seasonally recurrent water ice cloud, such as the one shown in this image, is known to be more important in this respect than in the past.
The cloud's appearance varies across the Martian day, growing in length during the morning, and reaching such an impressive size, that it could still make it visible to the telescopes on Earth.
The formation of water ice clouds is sensitive to the amount of dust present in the atmosphere. These images, obtained after the major dust storm, are likely to become more important in the future.
Follow the development of this cloud via the daily images sent by Mars Express
The cloud on September 17, 2018, via ESA / Mars Express.
Bottom line: ESA 's Mars Express spacecraft has acquired hundreds of images of a curious elongated cloud on Mars, on the leeward or downwind side of a volcano.
Via ESA
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