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China's Zhurong Mars rover reveals seasonal wind changes in Red Planet weather report.

Data collected by China's Zhurong rover shows seasonal changes in the strength and direction of winds on Mars.

Zhurong launched in July 2020 along with the Tianwen 1 mission orbiter and landed in the large plain of Utopia Planitia in May 2021. Among its science instruments is the Mars Climate Station (MCS), designed to provide new insight into meteorological activity on the Red Planet.

An initial analysis of MCS data shows that surface pressure on Mars varies greatly from sol to sol (Martian days) while also having seasonal variations. Air temperature ranges and its seasonal changes are also reported, with the average temperature recorded during the mission by Zhurong about 268 Kelvin (22.7 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 5.1 degrees Celsius) and the lowest is about 218 K (minus 67 degrees F or minus 55 degrees C.

Wind data from Zhurong was also collected over the course of half a Martian year, from early summer until around fall equinox in the northern hemisphere. It shows changing wind patterns, with a maximum recorded wind speed of 54.8 feet per second (16.7 m/s) or 37 mph (60 kph).

The wind blew close to true south from the northern summer solstice, shifting to southeastwards until the northern fall equinox. The data adds to payloads collecting meteorological data aboard the InSight and Perseverance missions, helping to provide a more global understanding of weather on Mars.

Source: www.space.com

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