Everyone knows at one point the devil went down to Georgia, but where has he been since then? Maybe he’s too busy causing droughts in California, the Zika virus in South America or perhaps the devil has humanized in the form of Donald Trump. We can speculate all we want, but it turns out NASA has actually found the devil on the unlikely surface of Mars.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A NASA ROBOT
Finding a dust devil on Mars isn’t that uncommon. They are a regular occurrence on the surface, but seeing them in action through the eyes of the NASA rover Opportunity, is something to appreciate. NASA posted a scene taken from the rim of the Endeavour Crater showing rover tracks, beautiful geology, and our friend, the dust devil. Opportunity was leisurely strolling around the north facing slope of Knudsen ridge one day doing what it does best. Measurements were taken, and minerals were observed. Just another day in the life of a robot. March 31st however, proved to be something of a unique experience.
DUST DEVIL SWIRLS UP A STORM ON MARS
Looking out over the Knudson Ridge, Opportunity saw the impressively-formed dust devil kicking up a storm below. In its 12-year history, Opportunity hasn’t really seen many dust devils on Mars. At least, not compared to its sister rover Spirit. Since Spirit became stuck in a sand trap, NASA has been able to witness a few of these evil forces of wind tearing up Mars in an etch-a-sketch like fashion. Though they are unique in their own way, they actually form similarly to any tornado found on Earth.
HOW MARTIAN TORNADOS FORM
Just like on Earth, dust devils on Mars form in a similar fashion. A think layer of air above the ground will get heated by sunlight and start to rise. The air then starts to spin, creating small pockets of low pressure. Eventually, a quick, spinning vortex is created which sucks up dirt from the surface, leaving a trail of dark material underneath. Because of the thin atmosphere, NASA believes that these dust devils play an important part in shaping the global climate of the Martian planet.
