Mars and the mystery of the feathers. scientists baffled

Mystery plume on Mars 

 Are broad one thousand kilometers and can reach a height of 250. Their 'home' is in the upper atmosphere of the red planet and scientists are trying to find their identity. Are clouds or polar auroras? And what features do they have? The response has been searching a study group led by Agustin Sanchez-Lavega of the University of the Basque Country, the results of which were published in the journal Nature. The analyzes of researchers converge on the assumption that it is the polar aurora, which arise where there are magnetic anomalies able to deflect the solar wind. In theory-like clouds should be created at particularly intense solar activity, but so far it seems that no correlation was found. The road to the knowledge of Mars is still very long.

The first phenomenon was observed March 12, 2012 by a group of amateur astronomers. One of the plumes was developed in 10 hours and lasted for 11 days. An international study coordinated by Agustin Sanchez-Lavega of the University of the Basque Country, and published in Nature says that the phenomenon is probably due to particular polar auroras.




Collecting data on many observations, the researchers are trying to unravel these enigmatic formations that have been seen only between sunset and sunrise in the southern hemisphere of the red planet

The possible causes according to the study may be of two types. The first is that they are true clouds of water and carbon dioxide ice rapidly evolving even if though these clouds would have features that "escape" to the current models "weather" Martians. Should in fact be formed predominantly lower altitudes and during the day.






The second possibility, considered more likely by the researchers, is that it is the polar aurora. The region covered by these clouds "mysterious" presents fact magnetic anomalies that could deflect the solar wind and generate enormous and rapid "clouds" of light due to the clash of the solar wind with the atmosphere.





The phenomenon, however, should be associated with peak intensity of the Sun, but the study did not find so far no direct correlation. In any case, the researchers said, it is a very interesting phenomenon that could reveal little-known characteristics of the red planet.