re: Phoenix probe sheds new light on Mars weather
Another passage:
"It's a very active weather environment," lead investigator Peter Smith told reporters in a teleconference. "It's a bit of a mystery how this is happening."
Phoenix saw dusty summer days slip into cloudy fall, replete with ground fog, snow and frost.
"Global climate models that are running on Mars would not predict this," Smith said. "What we're learning now about the polar region is going to force us to make changes."
I think one key factor that has to be added to the Mars climate models is active water exchange between the surface and atmosphere via precipitation. Phoenix showed there is precipitation in the north polar regions. I think it will soon become clear this is a common phenomenon though out Mars.
Bob Clark