Phoenix Mars Lander Sees Falling Snow

[deapfreeze]

<p>The Canadian Space Agency's lidar (a laser instrument designed to gather knowledge of how the atmosphere and surface interact on Mars) has detected snow from clouds about 4 kilometres above the spacecraft's landing site. Data show the snow vaporizing before reaching the ground.</p><p>For the rest of this article: http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/exploration/phoenix_news.asp</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#0000ff"><em>William ( deapfreeze ) Hooper</em></font></p><p><font size="1">http://deapfreeze-amateur-astronomy.tk/</font></p><p> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The Canadian Space Agency's lidar (a laser instrument designed to gather knowledge of how the atmosphere and surface interact on Mars) has detected snow from clouds about 4 kilometres above the spacecraft's landing site. Data show the snow vaporizing before reaching the ground.For the rest of this article: http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/exploration/phoenix_news.asp <br />Posted by deapfreeze</DIV><br /><br />Technically, it's not snow until it hits the ground, which it hasn't yet. Until then, it's called "virga", and is currently sublimating at 2.5 km above the surface. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'><font color="#ff0000">Technically, it's not snow until it hits the ground, which it hasn't yet. Until then, it's called "virga", and is currently sublimating at 2.5 km above the surface. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</font></DIV></p><p><font size="2"><strong>That is correct Wayne.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>I suspect as the season continues to advance, the virga will reach lower down before sublimating as the atmosphere continues to cool.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Hopefully Phoenix will still be operating when the virga DOES make it to the surface as snow.&nbsp;</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Virga in Earth's atmosphere.</strong></font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/8/11/d8e96d3f-43b8-4f21-bb86-2444a1ebf479.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Martian virga as detected by Phoenix Lander. Note the similarity, though the Martian one is in a vastly thinner atmosphere at much lower temperatures than the Earth one. The general principle is the same though.</strong></font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/6/4bf7cc41-aa9f-42d8-96ad-87c716c72224.Medium.jpg" alt="" /><br />&nbsp;</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[DrRocket]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Technically, it's not snow until it hits the ground, which it hasn't yet. Until then, it's called "virga", and is currently sublimating at 2.5 km above the surface. <br />Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>Does Mars have microbursts to go along with the virga ?<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

<p>

<font color="#ff0000">Does Mars have microbursts to go along with the virga ? <br /> Posted by DrRocket<font color="#000000">[</font></font>/QUOTE]</p><p><font size="2"><strong>Very good point DrRocket.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>If so, there is a chance that Phoenix will detect such microbursts directly, provided they pass directly over the lander. My hunch is yes, that there are. Hopefully the extended mission will confirm them.</strong></font></p><p><font size="2"><strong>Andrew Brown.&nbsp;</strong></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>