According to the research published in the journal Nature Communication recently, the SuperCam microphone carried by NASA's "Perseverance" probe captured the sound of Mars dust storm for the first time, which may help scientists better understand how dust affects future Mars exploration missions. Dust storms or dust cyclones are common on Mars and are part of the Red Planet's weather pattern. Dr. Naomi Murdoch, the main author of the study and a researcher at the Institute of Advanced Aeronautics and Astronautics of the University of Toulouse in France, said that in an 11 second clip captured by the microphone, when the front wall and back wall of the dust storm pass the rover, there are two low-frequency winds. Between the walls of the cyclone was a period of calm, when the rover was at the center of the vortex. Bursting and hissing can be heard during this period, which is determined to be the sound of dust particles hitting the rover. Murdoch said that researchers were able to count the dust storms when they hit the rover, thus making a new measurement on the red planet. This is the first time an instrument has been able to quantify the dust rising from Mars. When the dust storm passed the Perseverance on September 27, 2021, it caused a slight drop in atmospheric pressure and a rise in temperature. The researchers determined that the dust storm was more than 118 meters high and 25 meters in diameter - about 10 times the size of the rover itself. The dust storm is lying on the ground at a speed of about 20 kilometers per hour. Although it sounds like a giant cyclone, this is the average level of Martian dust storms. Dust storms are indicators of atmospheric turbulence on Mars, and they play an important role in the Martian dust cycle. More understanding of how dust rises and moves on the red planet can help scientists better understand the formation and evolution of dust storms. Dust is also an important factor in planning the Mars exploration mission. It can corrode the spacecraft's heat shield, damage scientific instruments, and disable parachutes and solar panels. On the other hand, it can help the rover clean dust and extend its life. The researchers said that the SuperCam microphone was originally used as an instrument on the Mars rover to detect rocks to determine their properties, but its acoustic data also revealed the atmospheric science of the red planet. All these measurements and analyses highlight the value of acoustic data in planetary exploration. Therefore, they are developing the next generation of acoustic sensors for future transmission to other planets with atmosphere. (Liu Xinshe)
Edit：wangwenting Responsible editor：xiaomai
Source：xinhuanet
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