Citizen Scientists Contribute to Mars Cloud Study: First Article Published

Citizen scientists participating in the “Cloudspotting on Mars” project have achieved a significant milestone with the acceptance of their first journal article for publication. The article, titled “The Cloudspotting on Mars citizen science project: Seasonal and spatial cloud distributions observed by the Mars Climate Sounder,” will appear in a special issue of “Icarus” titled “MRO: 16 Years at Mars,” featuring research from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
Investigating Martian Clouds
The paper showcases several cloud maps created with the assistance of the citizen scientists, highlighting the times and regions where numerous clouds were identified. These cloud maps provide insights into various cloud populations observed in the data contributed by the volunteers. Notable cloud populations include high-altitude CO2-ice clouds, clouds forming near the Martian poles, and water-ice clouds during the dusty season.
These clouds’ structures align with the atmospheric phenomenon known as “thermal tides,” which are global-scale temperature oscillations. Where temperatures are lower than average, clouds tend to be more prevalent.
The article delves into the project’s motivation and describes its setup on Zooniverse, an online platform for citizen science initiatives. It further details how cloud identifications made by participants were transformed into a comprehensive cloud catalog using machine learning techniques.
Dr. Marek Slipski, the project’s principal investigator and a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, expressed gratitude to all “Cloudspotting on Mars” participants for their contributions to advancing this research.
Continued Exploration and Analysis
While the first article marks a significant achievement, there is much more to explore within this dataset. The second Mars Year of data is only approximately 50% complete, and it promises valuable insights into how changing dust conditions impact cloud formation on Mars.
If you’re interested in joining the ongoing search for clouds in the Martian atmosphere and contributing to this exciting project, you can participate online at https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/marek-slipski/cloudspotting-on-mars. Citizen scientists continue to play a crucial role in expanding our understanding of the Martian climate and atmosphere.
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