Whirlwind 'dust devils' reveal blustery conditions at Martian surface

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Two decades of observations by a pair of orbiting spacecraft have enabled scientists to track the whirlwinds called “dust devils” that regularly pirouette across the surface of Mars, providing a deeper understanding of the planet’s climate and weather, including wind speeds higher than previously known.

Using data from the European Space Agency’s Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter spacecraft, the researchers cataloged 1,039 of these phenomena, detecting wind speeds reaching around 98 miles per hour (158 kph) in these whirlwinds that hoist dust into the Martian atmosphere.

“The key findings of this study are that winds on Mars can be faster across the surface than previously thought, and that these fast winds are more widespread than previousl