Frost found atop giant Mars volcanoes

In a surprising discovery that challenges our understanding of the dispersal of water on Mars, early morning frost has been found on the peaks of colossal volcanoes in the Tharsis plateau region. This unexpected phenomenon was captured by the European Space Agency’s Trace Gas Orbiter, revealing a shimmering, icy layer on the summits of these ancient, towering giants.

The volcanoes in question, including the awe-inspiring Olympus Mons – the largest volcano in our solar system, standing nearly three times taller than Mount Everest – have remained dormant for millions of years. Yet, their lofty peaks have been graced with an ephemeral touch of frost, a sight once deemed impossible in the equatorial regions of Mars.

• “We thought it was impossible for frost to form around Mars’s equator,” exclaimed Adomas Valantinas, the lead study author, expressing his astonishment.
• The combination of ample sunshine and a thin atmosphere typically results in relatively warm temperatures near the Martian equator, unlike the frosty peaks we witness on Earth.
• Furthermore, the scarcity of water in the atmosphere near the equator of Mars makes condensation a rare occurrence, adding to the improbability of this discovery.

While frost has been observed in other, wetter regions of Mars, such as the northern plains, the detection of these frosty peaks came as a complete surprise. “Other space probes have observed frost but in wetter regions – notably the northern plains,” explained study co-author Frederic Schmidt from France’s Paris-Saclay University.

The researchers suggest that the frost formation on the peaks of these giant Martian volcanoes is driven by a unique micro-climate phenomenon. As wind sweeps up the towering slopes of the volcanoes, it carries relatively moist air from near the surface to higher altitudes. This moisture-laden air then condenses and settles as a thin layer of frost within the calderas, or craters, of the volcanoes.

“We actually see this happening on Earth and other parts of Mars,” said Nicolas Thomas, a co-author of the study who works on the Trace Gas Orbiter’s imaging system. “As wind whips up the sides of the volcanoes, it brings relatively moist air from near the surface up to higher altitudes, where it condenses and settles as frost.”

This micro-climate effect creates a localized environment that allows for the formation of frost, even in the arid equatorial regions of Mars, where such phenomena were previously thought to be impossible. The detailed modeling of these frost formation processes could unlock new insights into the movement and distribution of water reservoirs on the Red Planet.

The Trace Gas Orbiter’s observations revealed that the daily frost accumulation on the summits of Olympus Mons, Arsia Mons, Ascraeus Mons, and Ceraunius Tholus amounts to a staggering 150,000 tonnes of water – equivalent to the volume of 60 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

While this frosty layer is only as thick as a human hair and quickly dissipates, its presence highlights the dynamic nature of water distribution on Mars and the potential for future exploration and resource utilization.