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Martian dust storms witnessed by Viking Lander 1Viking Lander 1 observations on Mars were punctuated by a strong local dust storm after two martian years of mild wind conditions. Tens of micrometers of dust settled to the surface during global dust storms of the first two falls and winters; some of this dust was locally removed during the second year. A late winter local dust storm of the first year caused little or no erosion of the surface materials despite wind speeds of 25 to 30 m/s. The strong local dust storm occurred during late winter of the third martian year. Winds of this storm altered and demolished small conical piles of surface materials constructed at the onset the first winter, removed 4 to 5 mm size fragments, displaced centimeter size fragments, destroyed clouds in areas disrupted by the sampler and footpad, eroded impact pits, and darkened the sky. Movement of erosional products and tiny wind tails indicate easterly to northeasterly winds. If the 4 to 5 mm size fragments were entrained and removd by the wind, threshold friction speeds near 3 to 5 m/s would have been required for the atmospheric temperatures and pressures that prevailed during the late winter of the third year.
Document ID
19840015419
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other
Authors
Moore, H. J.
(Geological Survey Menlo Park, CA, United States)
Guinness, R. E. A.
(Washington Univ. St. Louis, Mo., United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1984
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Washington Rept. of Planetary Geol. Program, 1983
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
84N23487
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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