Dust devils - Revision history

Suitupshowup: /* Formation and dynamics */ added new info and ref

2025-10-15T12:52:14Z

Formation and dynamics: added new info and ref

Suitupshowup: /* Formation and dynamics */ added ref about dust devils

2025-07-05T22:12:01Z

Formation and dynamics: added ref about dust devils

Suitupshowup: added ref

2025-04-07T18:43:04Z

added ref

Suitupshowup: /* Images of dust devils and dust devil tracks */ added clip of devil

2023-10-14T21:50:54Z

Images of dust devils and dust devil tracks: added clip of devil

Suitupandshowup: /* Formation and dynamics */ added ref

2022-09-17T13:12:14Z

Formation and dynamics: added ref

RichardWSmith: Added a reference and lots of info on dust devils.

2021-06-03T14:08:24Z

Added a reference and lots of info on dust devils.

RichardWSmith: fixed incomplete sentence.

2021-03-29T20:12:38Z

fixed incomplete sentence.

RichardWSmith: Added reference to study of Martian Dust Devils.

2021-03-29T20:11:33Z

Added reference to study of Martian Dust Devils.

Suitupandshowup: /* See Also */ added to list

2020-04-12T18:55:00Z

Suitupandshowup: /* External links */

2020-04-12T18:53:44Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:52, 15 October 2025
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	They are formed from local eddies around ground features and thus are as likely to rotate clockwise as counter-clockwise.<ref>https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_042201_1715</ref>		They are formed from local eddies around ground features and thus are as likely to rotate clockwise as counter-clockwise.<ref>https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_042201_1715</ref>
		+
		+	Researchers V. Bickel and others, studied over a thousand dust devils and published their results in 2025. The study found that the diameters of dust devils range from an estimated ~18 to ~578 m, with a average diameter of 82 m.<ref> https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adw5170?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D68227027333727904592434133527388632768%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1759927070&adobe_mc=MCMID%3D68227027333727904592434133527388632768%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1759927073&adobe_mc=MCMID%3D68227027333727904592434133527388632768%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1759927544%27</ref> <ref>Valentin T. Bickel et al. ,Dust devil migration patterns reveal strong near-surface winds across Mars.Sci. Adv.11,eadw5170(2025).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adw5170</ref>

	==Observations==		==Observations==

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==Formation and dynamics==
-Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface while the air above remains cold.  Warm air is less dense, and thus tries to break thru the cold layer above it, eventually doing so, sucking in other warm air from near by along the ground.  The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE | (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>
+Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface while the air above remains cold.  Warm air is less dense, and thus tries to break thru the cold layer above it, eventually doing so, sucking in other warm air from near by along the ground.  The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE | (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref> <ref>https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/dust-devils-on-mars-may-spark-lightning-possibly-threatening-nasas-perseverance-rover?utm_term=CABA215D-3D47-4C9A-92FE-9ECF8D4C7909&lrh=e62336263a3610a07ef7c8af2080c758f2ecd0661aab1a8e6234cf31f0d0fdff&utm_campaign=58E4DE65-C57F-4CD3-9A5A-609994E2C5A9&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65BC88D5-C198-4ECE-A11F-5B327623E63F&utm_source=SmartBrief</ref> <ref>Sheel, V., et.al.  2025.  Electric fields due to charged dust within a vortex. Phys. Plasmas 32, 033704.</ref>
 A study found that the maximum speed of a dust devil on Mars was 46 m/s. <ref>https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2005RG000188 - Comparison of Earth & Martian Dust Devils.</ref>
 On Mars, dust devils are larger and stronger than on Earth.  Terrestrial dust devils are typically less than 10 meters across, and are seldom higher than 500 meters.  On Mars, they have been observed to have diameters between 100 meters and 1 km, with heights in excess of 5 km.  (They typically reach 60% into the boundary layer above the ground.)  Dust devils observed by the Pathfinder mission had dust content of ~700 times than that of the near by atmosphere.
-Dust devils on Earth can develop strong electrical charges.  This is expected to happen on Mars as well, but it has not yet been measured.  It is theorized that this charge may form the trance amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) found in the Martian [[Atmosphere]].  H2O2 is reactive and quickly destroys [[Methane]].
+Dust devils on Earth can develop strong electrical charges.<ref>H. F. Eden and B. Vonnegut, Science 180(4089), 962–963 (1973).https://doi.org/10.1126/science.180.4089.962</ref>  This is expected to happen on Mars as well, but it has not yet been measured.  It is theorized that this charge may form the trance amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) found in the Martian [[Atmosphere]].  H2O2 is reactive and quickly destroys [[Methane]].
 They are formed from local eddies around ground features and thus are as likely to rotate clockwise as counter-clockwise.<ref>https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_042201_1715</ref>

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ==Observations==
-Dust devils on Mars have been photographed both from the ground and high overhead from orbit. They did scientists a big favor by  blowing dust off the solar panels of two Rovers on Mars, thereby greatly extending their useful lifetime.<ref>http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20070412a.html Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Release Images: Spirit]. Marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>   The pattern of the tracks has been shown to change every few months.<ref>http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_005383_1255</ref>   A study that combined data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) found that some large dust devils on Mars have a diameter of 700 meters and last at least 26 minutes.<ref>Reiss, D. et al.  2011.  Multitemporal observations of identical active dust devils on Mars with High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC).  Icarus.  215:358-369.</ref>  One dust devil was measured at having a 12 mile height.  <ref>https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/news/mro20120404.html</ref>
+Dust devils on Mars have been photographed both from the ground and high overhead from orbit.<ref>https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/perseverance-rover-witnesses-one-martian-dust-devil-eating-another/?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1-nasajpl&utm_content=daily20250403</ref>  They did scientists a big favor by  blowing dust off the solar panels of two Rovers on Mars, thereby greatly extending their useful lifetime.<ref>http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20070412a.html Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Release Images: Spirit]. Marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>   The pattern of the tracks has been shown to change every few months.<ref>http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_005383_1255</ref>   A study that combined data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) found that some large dust devils on Mars have a diameter of 700 meters and last at least 26 minutes.<ref>Reiss, D. et al.  2011.  Multitemporal observations of identical active dust devils on Mars with High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC).  Icarus.  215:358-369.</ref>  One dust devil was measured at having a 12 mile height.  <ref>https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/news/mro20120404.html</ref>
 One team of researchers  found that on any given day on average about one dust devil pops up for every  per square kilometre of surface.  With a 145 million square kilometer surface area that means that – there are millions of dust devils every day on Mars.   One would be able to see dozens of them at any one time.<ref>https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143217-marss-surface-hosts-millions-of-towering-dust-devils-every-day/</ref> <ref>https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.00484</ref> <ref>Jackson, B., et al.  2018.  Framework for Relating the Structures and Recovery Statistics in Pressure Time-Series Surveys for Dust Devils.  Icarus.   299: 166-174.</ref>

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 <gallery class="center" widths="380px" heights="360px">
+File:PIA26074-MarsPerseveranceRover-Whirlwind-20230830.gif|Dust devil as seen by Perseverance rover It is 5 times taller than the Empire State Building
 File: dust.devil.mars.arp.750pix.jpg|Dust devil on Mars (Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)  Dust devil is on the left and  its track to the right.
 File: Martian Dust Devil Trails.jpg|Dust devils cause twisting dark trails on the Martian surface.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 Dust devils on Earth can develop strong electrical charges.  This is expected to happen on Mars as well, but it has not yet been measured.  It is theorized that this charge may form the trance amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) found in the Martian [[Atmosphere]].  H2O2 is reactive and quickly destroys [[Methane]].
-They are formed from local eddies around ground features and thus are as likely to rotate clockwise as counter-clockwise.
+They are formed from local eddies around ground features and thus are as likely to rotate clockwise as counter-clockwise.<ref>https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_042201_1715</ref>
 ==Observations==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 Dust devils leave dark marks on the surface of Mars because they disturb a thin coating of fine bright dust that covers most of the Martian surface. If a dust devil goes by, the coating of dust is removed; this exposes the underlying dark surface.<ref>https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_058427_1080</ref>   Within a few weeks, the dark track assumes its former pale color, either by being re-covered through wind action or due to surface oxidation through exposure to sunlight and the Martian atmosphere.
 ==Formation and dynamics==
-Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface. The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE | (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>
+Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface while the air above remains cold.  Warm air is less dense, and thus tries to break thru the cold layer above it, eventually doing so, sucking in other warm air from near by along the ground.  The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE | (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>
 A study found that the maximum speed of a dust devil on Mars was 46 m/s. <ref>https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2005RG000188 - Comparison of Earth & Martian Dust Devils.</ref>
 ==Observations==
@@ Line 15: / Line 26: @@
 One team of researchers  found that on any given day on average about one dust devil pops up for every  per square kilometre of surface.  With a 145 million square kilometer surface area that means that – there are millions of dust devils every day on Mars.   One would be able to see dozens of them at any one time.<ref>https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143217-marss-surface-hosts-millions-of-towering-dust-devils-every-day/</ref> <ref>https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.00484</ref> <ref>Jackson, B., et al.  2018.  Framework for Relating the Structures and Recovery Statistics in Pressure Time-Series Surveys for Dust Devils.  Icarus.   299: 166-174.</ref>
-A picture of a dust devil that was previously imaged in 2009, showed the tracks visible from two  years before were completely different from the old ones meaning there had been a dust storm  erased the old tracks.<ref>http://www.uahirise.org/ESP_031199_2070|title=Dust Devil Tracks|last=|first=|date=15 May 2013|website=HiRISE.com|publisher=|access-date=30 November 2016</ref>  The picture below shows how a dust storm can quickly cover the entire planet.
+A picture of a dust devil that was previously imaged in 2009, showed the tracks visible from two  years before were completely different from the old ones meaning there had been a dust storm erased the old tracks.<ref>http://www.uahirise.org/ESP_031199_2070|title=Dust Devil Tracks|last=|first=|date=15 May 2013|website=HiRISE.com|publisher=|access-date=30 November 2016</ref>  The picture below shows how a dust storm can quickly cover the entire planet.
 <gallery class="center" widths="190px" heights="180px">
@@ Line 42: / Line 53: @@
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+The book: '''"The Atmosphere and Climate of Mars"''', Edited by Robert M. Haberle, R. Todd Clancy, Francois Forget, Michael D. Smith, & Richard W. Zurek, ISBN: 9-781107-016187, is recommended.{{reflist}}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface. The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE | (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>
-A study found that the maximum speed of a dust devil on Mars was <ref>https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2005RG000188 - Comparison of Earth & Martian Dust Devils.</ref>
+A study found that the maximum speed of a dust devil on Mars was 46 m/s. <ref>https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2005RG000188 - Comparison of Earth & Martian Dust Devils.</ref>
 ==Observations==
 Dust devils on Mars have been photographed both from the ground and high overhead from orbit. They did scientists a big favor by  blowing dust off the solar panels of two Rovers on Mars, thereby greatly extending their useful lifetime.<ref>http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20070412a.html Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Press Release Images: Spirit]. Marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>   The pattern of the tracks has been shown to change every few months.<ref>http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_005383_1255</ref>   A study that combined data from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) found that some large dust devils on Mars have a diameter of 700 meters and last at least 26 minutes.<ref>Reiss, D. et al.  2011.  Multitemporal observations of identical active dust devils on Mars with High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC).  Icarus.  215:358-369.</ref>  One dust devil was measured at having a 12 mile height.  <ref>https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/news/mro20120404.html</ref>
-One team of researchers  found that on any given day on average about one dust devil pops up for every  per square kilometre of surface.  With a 145 million square kilometer surface area that means that – there are millions of dust devils every day on Mars.   One would be able to see dozens of them at any one time.<ref> https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143217-marss-surface-hosts-millions-of-towering-dust-devils-every-day/</ref> <ref> https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.00484</ref> <ref>Jackson, B., et al.  2018.  Framework for Relating the Structures and Recovery Statistics in Pressure Time-Series Surveys for Dust Devils.  Icarus.   299: 166-174.</ref>
+One team of researchers  found that on any given day on average about one dust devil pops up for every  per square kilometre of surface.  With a 145 million square kilometer surface area that means that – there are millions of dust devils every day on Mars.   One would be able to see dozens of them at any one time.<ref>https://www.newscientist.com/article/2143217-marss-surface-hosts-millions-of-towering-dust-devils-every-day/</ref> <ref>https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.00484</ref> <ref>Jackson, B., et al.  2018.  Framework for Relating the Structures and Recovery Statistics in Pressure Time-Series Surveys for Dust Devils.  Icarus.   299: 166-174.</ref>
 A picture of a dust devil that was previously imaged in 2009, showed the tracks visible from two  years before were completely different from the old ones meaning there had been a dust storm  erased the old tracks.<ref>http://www.uahirise.org/ESP_031199_2070|title=Dust Devil Tracks|last=|first=|date=15 May 2013|website=HiRISE.com|publisher=|access-date=30 November 2016</ref>  The picture below shows how a dust storm can quickly cover the entire planet.
-<gallery class="center"  widths="190px" heights="180px">
+<gallery class="center" widths="190px" heights="180px">
 File: PIA03170 fig1duststroms.jpg|Mars without a dust storm on June 2001 (on left) and with a global dust storm on July 2001 (on right), as seen by Mars Global Surveyor
 </gallery>
-==Images of dust devils and dust devil tracks ==
+==Images of dust devils and dust devil tracks==
-<gallery class="center"  widths="380px" heights="360px">
+<gallery class="center" widths="380px" heights="360px">
 File: dust.devil.mars.arp.750pix.jpg|Dust devil on Mars (Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)  Dust devil is on the left and  its track to the right.
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 </gallery>
-== References ==
+==References==
 {{reflist}}
 ==See also==
 *[[Dark slope streaks]]
 *[[Dust storms]]
@@ Line 51: / Line 52: @@
 ==External links==
-*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2bwPcIojVU  Video of Dust devil, as seen by Curiosity from the surface of Mars]
 *[https://www.uahirise.org/PSP_005383_1255 Changes in dust devil tracks]
 [[Category:Atmospheric Sciences]]
 {{stub}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:11, 29 March 2021
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	Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface. The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE \| (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>		Dust devils occur when the sun warms up the air near a flat, dry surface. The warm air then rises quickly through the cooler air and begins spinning while moving ahead. This spinning, moving cell may pick up dust and sand and leave behind a clean surface.<ref>[http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_00481_2410 HiRISE \| (PSP_00481_2410)]. Hirise.lpl.arizona.edu. Retrieved on 7 August 2011.</ref>
		+	A study found that the maximum speed of a dust devil on Mars was <ref>https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1029/2005RG000188 - Comparison of Earth & Martian Dust Devils.</ref>

	==Observations==		==Observations==