Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover

M. T. Lemmon; D. Toledo; V. Apestigue; I. Arruego; M. J. Wolff; P. Patel; S. Guzewich; A. Colaprete; Vicente-Retortillo; L. Tamppari; F. Montmessin; M. de la Torre Juarez; J. Maki; T. McConnochie; A. Brown; J. F. Bell

doi:10.1029/2022GL099776

Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover

M. T. Lemmon, D. Toledo, V. Apestigue, I. Arruego, M. J. Wolff, P. Patel, S. Guzewich, A. Colaprete, Vicente-Retortillo, L. Tamppari, F. Montmessin, M. de la Torre Juarez, J. Maki, T. McConnochie, A. Brown, J. F. Bell

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Observations by several cameras on the Perseverance rover showed a 22° scattering halo around the Sun over several hours during northern midsummer (solar longitude 142°). Such a halo has not previously been seen beyond Earth. The halo occurred during the aphelion cloud belt season and the cloudiest time yet observed from the Perseverance site. The halo required crystalline water-ice cloud particles in the form of hexagonal columns large enough for refraction to be significant, at least 11 μm in diameter and length. From a possible 40–50 km altitude, and over the 3.3 hr duration of the halo, particles could have fallen 3–12 km, causing downward transport of water and dust. Halo-forming clouds are likely rare due to the high supersaturation of water that is required but may be more common in northern subtropical regions during northern midsummer.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2022GL099776
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	49
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099776
State	Published - Sep 16 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

Access to Document

10.1029/2022GL099776

Cite this

Lemmon, M. T., Toledo, D., Apestigue, V., Arruego, I., Wolff, M. J., Patel, P., Guzewich, S., Colaprete, A., Vicente-Retortillo, Tamppari, L., Montmessin, F., de la Torre Juarez, M., Maki, J., McConnochie, T., Brown, A., & Bell, J. F. (2022). Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(17), Article e2022GL099776. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099776

Lemmon, MT, Toledo, D, Apestigue, V, Arruego, I, Wolff, MJ, Patel, P, Guzewich, S, Colaprete, A, Vicente-Retortillo, Tamppari, L, Montmessin, F, de la Torre Juarez, M, Maki, J, McConnochie, T, Brown, A & Bell, JF 2022, 'Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 49, no. 17, e2022GL099776. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099776

@article{44ce4d37712146a5b2f83909790d9cd0,

title = "Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover",

abstract = "Observations by several cameras on the Perseverance rover showed a 22° scattering halo around the Sun over several hours during northern midsummer (solar longitude 142°). Such a halo has not previously been seen beyond Earth. The halo occurred during the aphelion cloud belt season and the cloudiest time yet observed from the Perseverance site. The halo required crystalline water-ice cloud particles in the form of hexagonal columns large enough for refraction to be significant, at least 11 μm in diameter and length. From a possible 40–50 km altitude, and over the 3.3 hr duration of the halo, particles could have fallen 3–12 km, causing downward transport of water and dust. Halo-forming clouds are likely rare due to the high supersaturation of water that is required but may be more common in northern subtropical regions during northern midsummer.",

author = "Lemmon, {M. T.} and D. Toledo and V. Apestigue and I. Arruego and Wolff, {M. J.} and P. Patel and S. Guzewich and A. Colaprete and Vicente-Retortillo and L. Tamppari and F. Montmessin and {de la Torre Juarez}, M. and J. Maki and T. McConnochie and A. Brown and Bell, {J. F.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022. The Authors.",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1029/2022GL099776",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "49",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

issn = "0094-8276",

publisher = "American Geophysical Union",

number = "17",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover

AU - Lemmon, M. T.

AU - Toledo, D.

AU - Apestigue, V.

AU - Arruego, I.

AU - Wolff, M. J.

AU - Patel, P.

AU - Guzewich, S.

AU - Colaprete, A.

AU - Vicente-Retortillo,

AU - Tamppari, L.

AU - Montmessin, F.

AU - de la Torre Juarez, M.

AU - Maki, J.

AU - McConnochie, T.

AU - Brown, A.

AU - Bell, J. F.

PY - 2022/9/16

Y1 - 2022/9/16

N2 - Observations by several cameras on the Perseverance rover showed a 22° scattering halo around the Sun over several hours during northern midsummer (solar longitude 142°). Such a halo has not previously been seen beyond Earth. The halo occurred during the aphelion cloud belt season and the cloudiest time yet observed from the Perseverance site. The halo required crystalline water-ice cloud particles in the form of hexagonal columns large enough for refraction to be significant, at least 11 μm in diameter and length. From a possible 40–50 km altitude, and over the 3.3 hr duration of the halo, particles could have fallen 3–12 km, causing downward transport of water and dust. Halo-forming clouds are likely rare due to the high supersaturation of water that is required but may be more common in northern subtropical regions during northern midsummer.

AB - Observations by several cameras on the Perseverance rover showed a 22° scattering halo around the Sun over several hours during northern midsummer (solar longitude 142°). Such a halo has not previously been seen beyond Earth. The halo occurred during the aphelion cloud belt season and the cloudiest time yet observed from the Perseverance site. The halo required crystalline water-ice cloud particles in the form of hexagonal columns large enough for refraction to be significant, at least 11 μm in diameter and length. From a possible 40–50 km altitude, and over the 3.3 hr duration of the halo, particles could have fallen 3–12 km, causing downward transport of water and dust. Halo-forming clouds are likely rare due to the high supersaturation of water that is required but may be more common in northern subtropical regions during northern midsummer.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138117811&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85138117811&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1029/2022GL099776

DO - 10.1029/2022GL099776

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85138117811

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 49

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 17

M1 - e2022GL099776

ER -

Hexagonal Prisms Form in Water-Ice Clouds on Mars, Producing Halo Displays Seen by Perseverance Rover

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this