Table of Contents

Clouds, weather and climate

The time of day that clouds form reveal important information about local weather and where water vapour originates:

• If clouds form during a 'hot' part of the day when air is rising, the water vapour will have its origin at the surface (as long as there are no strong winds to carry a new supply from elsewhere).

• If clouds persist over the landing site throughout the Martian day or longer, they are indicators of a large weather system.

• Studying the height at which clouds form tells the science team about the temperature of the atmosphere at that altitude.

• Measuring their speed will reveal information about the wind high above the lander.

Researchers also study clouds to understand climate. A detailed study of the structure of a cloud, its ice crystals and dust particles help us learn about the local energy balance. In addition to generating heat upon condensation, ice crystals reflect the Sun's energy and modify the amount of energy the surface of a planet receives. Dust particles tend to be dark and absorb solar energy. The presence of a lot of dust in the air can heat up the atmosphere quickly. The balance between amounts of dust and ice can alter the balance between a warming and cooling climate.