Mars Ozone Surge Mystery: Winter Darkness Reveals Secret
- * exomars mission: The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover in 2028 to search for signs of ancient life on Mars.
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* exomars mission: The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to launch the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover in 2028 to search for signs of ancient life on Mars.
* Importance of an Ozone Layer: The possibility of a past ozone layer on Mars is notable because it would have shielded the surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation, increasing the chances of life having existed.
* Mars’s Polar Vortex: A polar vortex forms over the north pole of Mars during its winter (following the northern summer) due to the planet’s axial tilt (25.2 degrees).
* Temperature Difference: The temperature inside the north polar vortex is 40 degrees Celsius colder than outside of it.(See the image caption for credit: Kevin Olsen (University of Oxford) et al.)
* Vortex Instability: Like Earth’s polar vortex, the Martian vortex can become unstable and shift, allowing scientists to study its interior.
* Studying the Vortex in darkness: As the Martian north pole experiences total darkness during winter, studying the vortex provides valuable data about the conditions within it.