Mars Orbiter Captures Active 'Dust Devils' Swirling Across Red Planet's Canyon System

The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared intriguing pictures of Mars's Mamers Valles captured by the Mars Express spacecraft, which has been exploring Martian landscapes since its launch in 2003. The images show dozens of dust devils whirling through one of the planet's vast canyon networks, revealing winds far stronger than models previously predicted. According to the ESA, dust devils form when Mars warms in the sun, causing the air just above the surface to swirl upward and carry dust with it.

"Mars's dust devils are similar to those we see in dry, dusty landscapes on Earth, but far larger; they tower up to eight kilometres high, rove about for kilometres at a time, and reach top speeds of 45 meters per second," the ESA wrote.

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The images were taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), one of eight instruments aboard Mars Express. They reveal around 30 active dust devils, which appear as small yellow dots with pinkish trailing "shadows".

Scientists previously calculated the wind speeds of these dust devils to be up to 158 km/h (98 mph), faster than anything recorded by ground rovers.

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About Mamers Valles

Mamers Valles is a set of channels nestled within a long, winding canyon in the northern region of Mars. Stretching nearly 1,000 km (600 miles) long, the region dates back roughly 3.8 billion years to a period in Martian history known as the Late Noachian epoch.

"Mars Express has visited this region of Mars before, imaging the areas surrounding both Mamers Valles (2008) and the neighbouring Deuteronilus Mensae (2019)," wrote ESA.