Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A New Method For Estimating The Physical Characteristics Of Martian Dust Devils, Shelly Cahoon Mann

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Critical to the future exploration of Mars is having a detailed understanding of the atmospheric environment and its potential dangers. The dust devil is one of these potential dangers. The transport of dust through saltation is believed to be the driving mechanism responsible for Martian weather patterns. The two primary mechanisms for dust transport are dust storms and dust devils. Dust devils on Mars are a frequent occurrence with one in five so called giant dust devils being large enough to leave scars on the surface that are visible from space. Due to the thin atmosphere, winds of 60 mph …