Since its launch in 2003, the mission Mars Express of the European Space Agency (ESA) has contributed significantly to the exploration and study of Mars. Some of his milestones The most significant include the elaboration of the most complete map of the chemical composition of the Martian atmosphere, the tracing of the planet’s water history or the in-depth study of the moon. Phobosthe closest of the two satellites that Mars has.
Now, ESA has published new images captured by the mission of what look like small spiders on its surface.
Nothing could be further from the truth, of course.
In truth, “spiders” are geological formations emerged during the Martian spring.
He process is this: in the winter, cold temperatures allow CO2 to condense and settle on the surface as a layer of ice. Later, as spring arrives, the sun warms the frozen surface and the frozen carbon dioxide changes from a gaseous state to a solid state. In this way, great pressure is generated under the ice layer, causing eruptions that create branching channels on the surface. Seen from space, these channels look like spiders.
Huge
The ESA specifies that these ramifications can reach considerable sizes ranging from 45 meters to 1,000reason, in fact, why they are noticeable from a great distance.
The ‘spiders’ photographed are found on the outskirts of a polar region called Angustus Labyrinthus (although it is better known as Inca City), first identified in 1962 by NASA’s Mariner 9 probe. The origin of this region is a mystery, although it is believed that it could be related to cosmic impacts and volcanic activity.
The ESA assures that the presence of the ‘spiders’ provides valuable information about the Martian climatic and geological conditions.
