The REMS instruments (Rover Environmental Monitoring Station) on the rover mast has been sending back information about wind direction and atmospheric pressure over the last 100 sols. There is a predominant E-W wind direction around our landing site. Knowing wind direction and getting more detailed knowledge about pressure variations (highest in the afternoon, lowest in the early morning) helps us to better understand the climate on Mars. Pressure varies greatly on a daily basis because the martian atmosphere is currently so thin (about 7 mbar compared to 1000 mbar on Earth) that heat is readily lost from the planet’s surface at night. Currently we are in southern Spring. The pressure is highest during southern summer on Mars because that is when Mars is closest to the Sun. That is also the dust season because the slightly thicker atmosphere can carry more dust. REMS had also detected some dust devils caused as the relatively warm atmosphere in the afternoon, near the martian surface, cools. On the solar-powered MER rovers dust devils have removed dust from the solar panels so helping the Opportunity rover to last for many years.
The image was taken by another Mars mission: Mars Global Surveyor. This wide angle view shows a dusty Mars atmosphere.
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