Astronomy

Carbon Dioxide Snow on Mars

The research and mission reported by this article regards unique weather patterns occurring on Mars. According to data gathered by the Phoenix Mars lander and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter data, there are clouds of water vapor on Mars and there is the only known stance of carbon dioxide snow falling in this solar system. The research on this phenomenon was first published in the Journal of Geophysical Research. The CO2 snowfalls occur in the southern hemisphere, around the pole during the winters on Mars. The data shows that carbon dioxide stays frozen on the Martian surface year round on the south pole. Most of the data analysis is performed at the California Institute Technology of Pasadena.

Part of the significance of the research is the singularity of the weather. There is no other place in this local system where carbon dioxide falls. Part of...
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