UAE: Hope Probe unveils comprehensive daily coverage of atmospheric data on Mars

The observations allow scientists and researchers to enhance their investigation of seasonal shifts on Mars

Nandini Sircar

Published: Sun 16 Jul 2023, 2:41 PM

The eighth set of data from the Hope probe has been unveiled, that offers comprehensive diurnal coverage of Mars.

This portion of data has been collected from December 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, for Level 1 and Level 2 data and September 1, 2022, to November 30, 2022, for Level 3 data. This dataset includes high cadence observations of clouds and dust on specific days as well.

The 'Hope Probe' of the Emirates Mars Mission emerges as a pioneering scientific initiative that offers precise and daily monitoring of Mars' atmospheric conditions, spanning from the planet's surface to its outermost layer.

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With this latest data release, the Emirates Mars Mission's 'Hope Probe' has now unveiled a staggering amount of 2.9 Terabytes of atmospheric data from the Red planet through its Science Data Center.

Not only does it focus on the shift between Martian seasons, but it also covers the conclusion of the dust storm season as Mars embarks on a new year during the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere.

The EMM Science Team emphasized the uniqueness of this achievement, stating that the novelty lies in EMM's ability to regularly provide diurnal coverage across the entire planet.

They highlight that no other mission has been able to accomplish this over such an extended period. They further stress the significance of the data, explaining that despite Mars' predictable meteorology, subtle variations still elude our understanding.

Extended mission explores nuances of inter-annual differences and morning-to-evening variability

During the extended mission, the team will delve into these nuances, focusing on inter-annual differences and gathering further observations related to morning-to-evening variability, among other factors.

The recent observations allow scientists and researchers to enhance their investigation of seasonal shifts on Mars and acquire a better understanding of annual variations.

The rich data collected by the Emirates Mars Infrared Spectrometer (EMIRS), Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS), and the Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI) offer invaluable insights into the diverse atmospheric factors on Mars and their influence on its climate and environment. For the first time, this release also includes EMUS L3 corona products containing derived information about the distribution of the extended cloud of hydrogen and oxygen atoms surrounding Mars and escaping to space.

Ever since entering its orbit, the Hope Probe has made remarkable contributions to the scientific community, publishing a total of 18 research papers in prestigious international journals. This extensive body of knowledge not only benefits researchers and scientists worldwide, but also nurtures the advancement of research endeavours undertaken by Emirati students and scholars.

Moreover, the Probe has achieved groundbreaking milestones in its exploration, capturing unparalleled observations of Deimos, Mars' smaller moon. By leveraging all three of its science instruments, the probe conducted close flybys, approaching Deimos at a remarkable proximity of 100 kilometers. This achievement stands as the closest encounter by any spacecraft with Mars' smaller moon since the Viking mission back in 1977.

EMM/EXI observes recession of North Polar ice and frost

During the northern hemisphere winter on Mars, several meters of water and carbon-dioxide frost and ice are deposited in the polar region. This sequence of EMM/EXI images, obtained over about six months in late-2022 through mid-2023, shows the rapid northward retreat of the North Polar cap as the increasing temperatures of northern spring led to evaporation of the frost and ice deposits. Several dramatic examples of polar storms (involving both dust and condensate clouds) are also observed.

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