A 1,000-mile cloud on Mars may reveal physics never seen in nature
A new model suggests Mars may host ice-forming physics never directly observed before.
Every day during the Martian spring and summer, an unusually long and thin cloud emerges near the volcano Arsia Mons. The cloud stretches over 1,000 miles, comparable to the distance between New York and Kansas City, before disappearing again. This phenomenon, known as the Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud (AMEC), has puzzled scientists since its discovery by a probe in 2018. Despite numerous attempts, no explanation for its existence had been found until recently.
Researchers have finally modeled the cloud's formation, revealing a physical process never before directly observed in any planet's atmosphere. The study, led by Jorge Hernández-Bernal from Paris’ Sorbonne Université, suggests that the cloud's presence may be driven by an exotic physics principle considered theoretical in textbooks, typically deemed impossible in natural settings.
Hernández-Bernal stated, "Once we included this physics in our simulations, the AMEC emerged just as we hoped." This groundbreaking discovery marks the first time such a phenomenon has been directly observed, opening new avenues for understanding atmospheric physics on Mars and potentially other planets as well.
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