Overview

• Published Oct. 8, the study analyzed two decades of Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter imagery to compile a 1,039‑event catalog.
• Measured gusts reached about 158 km/h (≈98 mph) with typical speeds near 64 kph (40 mph), revising previous assumptions about surface winds.
• Researchers exploited small timing offsets between image color channels and applied a neural network to detect dust devils and derive velocities.
• Dust devils were found across the northern lowlands and southern highlands, with hotspots such as Amazonis Planitia and peak activity from late morning to early afternoon in spring and summer.
• The open dataset is being used to improve climate models and is informing planning for future missions, including the 2030 ExoMars Rosalind Franklin landing.