Ice Spider Formations Observed By NASA Mars Orbiter
- 9 years ago
The HiRISE onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has observed unique landscape features that scientists call araneiform terrain because of the resemblance to spiders.
NASA’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, known by the acronym HiRISE, is orbiting about 150 miles above the red planet onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and sending back amazing pictures.
Recently, the HiRISE has observed unique landscape features that scientists have called araneiform terrain because of the resemblance to spiders.
They are caused by seasonal changes on Mars.
But when it gets warmer in the Martian spring, the carbon dioxide sublimates, or turns directly into a gas from a solid, like dry ice.
This chemical process creates a unique kind of erosion on the surface of Mars, which is responsible for the spider-like formations.
Planetary scientist Candice Hansen explains : "In the summer the ice will disappear into the atmosphere, and we will see just the channels of ghostly spiders carved in the surface.”
Discoveries like this can help experts better understand how the surface of Mars is shaped, and how it may have changed over time.
NASA’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, known by the acronym HiRISE, is orbiting about 150 miles above the red planet onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and sending back amazing pictures.
Recently, the HiRISE has observed unique landscape features that scientists have called araneiform terrain because of the resemblance to spiders.
They are caused by seasonal changes on Mars.
But when it gets warmer in the Martian spring, the carbon dioxide sublimates, or turns directly into a gas from a solid, like dry ice.
This chemical process creates a unique kind of erosion on the surface of Mars, which is responsible for the spider-like formations.
Planetary scientist Candice Hansen explains : "In the summer the ice will disappear into the atmosphere, and we will see just the channels of ghostly spiders carved in the surface.”
Discoveries like this can help experts better understand how the surface of Mars is shaped, and how it may have changed over time.