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Article: After a martian dust storm. (Astronomy).(dust storm on Mars)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Science News
- Article date:
- November 10, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Science Service, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The largest dust storm seen on Mars in more than 2 decades (SN: 7/28/01, p. 53) is now beginning to wane, according to data from the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. Warmed by dust, the atmosphere is still about 10 [degrees] C hotter than a year ago, says Surveyor scientist Philip Christensen of Arizona State University in Tempe.
In mid-June, Surveyor researchers reported finding dust clouds in the Hellas basin in the south. They later revealed that similar activity had been going in a northerly region. The clouds somehow merged and by June 26 had engulfed most of the planet.
The storm was notable because, unlike others, it occurred before Mars' closest ...