The sound of a dust devil on Mars was recorded for the first time by a NASA rover. It just so happened that a nearly 300-foot dust devil was passing over the Perseverance rover when its microphone was turned on.

What is a dust devil?

A whirlwind that is powerful, well-formed, and lasts for only a brief period of time is called a dust devil.

NASA is now able to describe the sound that a dust devil makes on Mars. The noise was captured by a NASA rover that happened to have its microphone turned on at the time a swirling tower of red dust passed straight overhead.

Important Details

• It is approximately ten seconds of rumbling gusts of up to forty kilometres per hour.
• As well as the pinging of hundreds of dust particles against the rover known as Perseverance.
• Experts believe that they “struck the jackpot” when the microphone on the rover picked up the noise created by the dust devil that was passing overhead.
• According to the researchers, the thin atmosphere on Mars results in muffled sounds and less strong wind.
• Thus the dust devils on Mars sound surprisingly similar to dust devils on Earth.
• Even though they are far quieter on Mars.
• Scientists state that dust devils are common on Mars.
• Although they have been photographed for decades on Mars, this is the first time anyone has ever heard of them.
• Researchers will be able to count the number of particles to investigate the whirlwind’s structure and behaviour.
• In addition to that, it has the potential to shed light on a problem that has experts confused.
• In certain regions of Mars, whirlwinds pass through vacuuming up dust and cleaning the solar panels of rovers along the way.
• However, in certain regions, the whirlwinds pass by without creating a significant amount of dust.
• Experts claim, they’re merely moving air and they don’t know why.
• According to Murdoch, these records make it possible for scientists to examine the wind on Mars.
• As well as the turbulence in the atmosphere, and even the movement of dust.

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Watch a video

Have you heard? 🔊 The @NASAPersevere rover captured the sound of a dust devil swirling across the Martian desert. Details: https://t.co/yoPXsIshYh pic.twitter.com/vabpHAhciW

— NASA Mars (@NASAMars) December 14, 2022

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