Araneiforms recreated: New lab findings reveal Mars secrets
Mars has something on its surface that we won't find anywhere else in the Solar System. Unusual dark structures, which resemble spiders in appearance, are called araneiforms. They appear in the southern polar region of the planet in the spring. Scientists recently managed to recreate these formations in the laboratory, leading to new discoveries about the processes shaping Mars's landscape, reports Science Alert.
The mystery of araneiforms
Araneiforms are not living spiders but systems of dark corridors formed from dust. Geophysicist Hugh Kieffer thoroughly studied the formation of these structures, which he described in his model in 2006-2007. During the winter on Mars, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere transforms into ice.
When spring arrives, the ice sublimates, going directly from a solid to a gaseous phase. The gas then accumulates under the ice layer until the pressure causes the ice to crack and explode. This releases the gas, lifting darker rocky material and creating spider-like shapes.
Laboratory simulations
A team led by Lauren McKeown from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory conducted an experiment in a special DUSTIE chamber that mimics Martian conditions. Researchers first cooled a regolith simulant with liquid nitrogen and then introduced carbon dioxide into the chamber, which turned into ice. Upon heating, the ice exploded, and structures resembling araneiforms formed.
Unexpected experimental results
During the experiments, it turned out that ice formed within the dust layer rather than between the ice and the ground, as predicted by Kieffer's model. This explains why the cracks appear from the inside rather than on the surface. The team found Kieffer's model accurate but emphasized the need for further research to better understand these and other seasonal formations on Mars.
The future of research
Scientists plan to apply their experiments to understand better the processes that create araneiforms. Their goal is to match laboratory conditions to actual conditions on Mars precisely. The results of these studies could significantly expand our knowledge of the planet's climate and geology.
The research findings were published in "The Planetary Science Journal," providing new insights into the fascinating geological processes on Mars. According to Science Alert, these discoveries are another step in uncovering the mysteries of the Red Planet.
