NASA Unveils the Mystery Behind the Mysterious ‘Mars Spiders’: What We’ve Discovered!

For years, Mars has intrigued scientists with its mysterious, spider-like formations known as araneiform terrain. These striking patterns mostly appear in the planet’s southern hemisphere and can stretch over a kilometer, resembling intricate spider webs etched into the surface.

Now, NASA researchers have successfully recreated these formations in a lab environment, shedding light on how they come to be.

Theories suggest these “spiders” are connected to frozen carbon dioxide. During Martian winters, the planet’s carbon dioxide atmosphere freezes, coating the surface with frost. As temperatures rise in spring, this ice sublimates—turning directly from solid to gas—resulting in unique features that don’t exist on Earth.

Scientists refer to these features collectively as the “Kieffer zoo,” showcasing dark spots and spider-like shapes. They’ve puzzled researchers for decades, especially since no direct observations of these formations have occurred on Mars.

Lauren McKeown, a NASA scientist, noted, “The spiders are strange, beautiful geologic features in their own right. These experiments will help refine our models for how they form.”

Two decades ago, researchers proposed a model explaining that seasonal changes in CO₂ ice are key to understanding Mars’ geological features. Sunlight penetrates the translucent ice, warming the soil beneath. This leads to sublimation of the ice—creating pressure that causes cracks, resulting in gases and dust erupting, forming the distinctive spider-like structures.

The lab experiments weren’t easy. Researchers used a specialized chamber at JPL nicknamed DUSTIE to mimic Martian conditions, achieving temperatures below minus 301 degrees Fahrenheit. They placed simulated Martian soil in the chamber, pumped in CO₂ gas, and let it condense.

Interestingly, these spider-like features don’t always form. They require very specific conditions. After multiple tests, the team confirmed the main processes involved in their creation. The sunlight heats the dark soil, causing the CO₂ ice to sublimate beneath the surface. This pressure release forms the intricate channels resembling spider legs and highlights Mars’ seasonal CO₂ cycles.

Moreover, the researchers found that not all cracks resulted from gas. Some appeared due to thermal stress, indicating several factors might contribute to the creation of these spiders. These features could even preserve clues about past climate shifts on Mars.

Notably, the shapes of these formations vary. Some resemble dark spots from gas breaking through the ice, while bright halos may emerge from frost created by gas plumes. There are still questions to explore, such as why some features don’t grow or appear more widely. These answers could reveal insights into Mars’ geological history and climate changes over time.

Excitingly, this research suggests that Mars still holds many secrets waiting to be uncovered. The findings were published in The Planetary Science Journal.

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