Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to the "geyser" image

re: the "geyser" image
Michael Gmirkin — (archived)

And what if rather than "geysers," they're "dust devils" machining the surface. You'd still get surface material kicked up by the charge sheath vortex of the dust devil and the electrical machining going on (as well as the attendant shadow of said ejecta) . They also tend to blacken the soil as they pass or hover.

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/14jul_dustdevils.htm
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2004/0420marsdust.html
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/dust_edgett_010702-1.html
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/dust_devils_040420.html
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2004/pdf/1560.pdf

(Note the distinct bright flashes as the dust devil electrically interacts with the surface of the planet. Especially in the last few frames of the sequence of this animated GIF.)

http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~lemmon/mer_dd/dd_enhanced_486a.gif


(Appx frame 282 shows the dust devil's base's interaction with the ground. It's definitely bright and seem to radiate from a central point, like there's an internal vortex or filament and spokes radiating out toward the charge sheath vortex. Pretty cool looking. I'd guess this is probably what we're seeing from high above in the "geyser" photos. Relatively stationary but strong "Dust Devils" interacting with and machining ejecta from the surface... Just a "wild hunch." *wink* Add it to the rest of the oddball theories. Then look up Peter Thompson's theory of tornadoes as charge sheath vortexes and watch some of the tornado formation movies. Maybe then I won't sound QUITE so crazy...)
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~lemmon/mer_dd/dd_enhanced_456.gif


http://www.peter-thomson.co.uk/tornado/fusion/Charge_sheath_vortex_basics_for_tornado.html

(View the cached videos. Quite telling that he actually has a clue what he's talking about, unlike so many who have NO clue. Interal smooth filament generally forms first, akin to the positive streamer and stepped leader connection of lightning (think landspout and funnel cloud respectively). Once the internal filament/positive streamer gets going, a turbulence vortex forms around it from the ground up, forming the "tornado proper.")
http://www.peter-thomson.co.uk/tornado/The_structure_of_the_tornado.html

So, what'cha think?

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