Amplification of dust loading in Martian dust devils by self-shadowing

Markus Kuepper; Gerhard Wurm

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.02.049

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arXiv · 1603.08141

Amplification of dust loading in Martian dust devils by self-shadowing

Markus Kuepper·Gerhard Wurm

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Abstract

Insolation of the Martian soil leads to a sub-surface overpressure due to thermal creep gas flow. This could support particle entrainment into the atmosphere. Short time shadowing e.g. by the traverse of a larger dust devil would enhance this effect. We find in microgravity experiments that mass ejection rates are increased by a factor of 10 for several seconds if a light source of 12.6 kW/$\rm m^2$ is turned off. Scaled to Mars this implies that self-shadowing of a partially opaque dust devil might lead to a strongly amplified flux of lifted material. We therefore suggest that self-shadowing might be a mechanism on Mars to increase the total dust loading of a dust devil and keep it self-sustained.

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Markus Kuepper, Gerhard Wurm. 2016-03-26. Amplification of dust loading in Martian dust devils by self-shadowing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.02.049

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