NASA Recreates Mars' Mysterious 'Spiders' in Lab
Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have successfully simulated the formation of araneiform terrain, providing insights into these unique Martian features.
Overview
- NASA researchers have recreated spider-like formations found on Mars, known as araneiform terrain, in a lab setting.
- The formations, which can span over half a mile and have numerous branches, were first observed on Mars in 2003.
- Using the Dirty Under-vacuum Simulation Testbed for Icy Environments (DUSTIE), scientists mimicked Martian conditions with extremely low temperatures and air pressure.
- The experiments confirmed that these features form when sunlight heats the soil beneath carbon dioxide ice, causing the ice to sublimate and release gas that cracks the surface.
- Unexpected findings included ice forming between soil grains, which could explain the more 'cracked' appearance of the spider shapes.