Mars have 'spiders': Will you still live there?

29.04.2024

Arachnophobes don't have to worry, as in reality, a recent photograph of Martian "spiders" from the European Space Agency (ESA) depicts the Red Planet's yearly carbon dioxide gas eruptions.

The dark, spindly formations were observed in the southern polar zone of Mars, in a place known as Inca City. It revealed black clumps of dots that resemble tiny spiderlings curled up together, according to Live Science.

Gas channels that range in width from 0.03 to 0.6 miles (45 metres to 1 kilometre) make up the formations. 

They begin as the southern hemisphere's weather warms during Martian spring, melting layers of ice that contain carbon dioxide. Moreover, the lowest layers of ice sublimate, or convert into gas, as a result of the warmth.

Dark dust from the solid top is carried by the gas as it rises and expands, exploding out of the layers of ice above it. This dust forms the fractured, spiderweb-like pattern here by erupting from the ice and then raining down onto the upper layer.

According to ESA, the geysers have been known to erupt through ice up to 3.3 feet (1 m) thick in some locations.

Another name for Inca City is Angustus Labyrinthus. It got its name from the linear, ruin-like ridgelines that resembled old Martian glaciers that may have left behind high walls of sediment as they receded. 

Originally, it was believed that these ridgelines were petrified dunes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

loader-image
Ashgabat
,
temperature icon
Humidity
Pressure
Wind
Wind Gust Wind Gust:
Clouds Clouds:
Visibility Visibility:
Sunrise Sunrise:
Sunset Sunset:
Previous Story

Elon Musk loves robots but his vision faces big challenge

Next Story

Earth now has second black hole only 2,000 light years away

Latest from Technology

Apple Accused of Spying on Employees

04.12.2024
The lawsuit claims that Apple requires employees to install special software on personal devices used for work. This software allows the company to access
Go toTop