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  Clouds in North Polar Region Tracked by MOC Over Five Day Period
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-128, 21 May 1999



Clouds in North Polar Region Tracked by MOC Over Five Day Period

It is mid-summer in the northern hemisphere of Mars--a time of enhanced heating that leads to the release of water vapor into the atmosphere. In the north polar region, temperature differences between bright areas of year-round ice and dark areas of sand and rock create strong winds that mix the atmosphere and create waves of clouds that swirl around the polar cap. Sometimes, as seen during the Viking mission, these winds form tight cyclones; other times, they weave an intricate pattern reflecting the turbulance of the circulation of the atmosphere.
Previous Image  Next Image NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems