These mysterious dark ‘streaks’ on Mars aren’t what scientists initially believed
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Mystery of the dark markings on Mars could finally be solved
- Mysterious dark streaks on Mars, observed since the 1970s, are likely due to wind and dust activity rather than water, according to new research.
- Researchers used a machine learning algorithm to analyze 500,000 streaks from over 86,000 NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter images, creating a global Martian map.
- The study found that recurring slope lineae (RSLs) are not associated with factors suggesting liquid or frost, but rather with above-average wind speed and dust deposition.
- Older slope streaks likely form when dust slides off slopes due to seismic activity, winds, or meteoroid impacts, appearing near recent impact craters.
- The findings cast doubt on the interpretation of slope streaks and RSLs as habitable environments, suggesting a dry origin of formation.