An anemometer that measures wind speed in 3D was developed on Mars

Some scientists from the United States and Canada are carrying out important work to solve the mystery of the Red Planet Mars. In the latest study, a highly sensitive device capable of measuring wind speed on Mars was developed. According to the details announced by the American Institute of Physics, thanks to this new anemometer, the weather change on Mars can be followed in minute detail.

New anemometer will help solve mysteries on Mars

Scientists who have been working on Mars for years have emphasized the difficult conditions of the Red Planet. The air temperature on Mars can vary by tens of degrees Celsius during the day. Unfortunately, it becomes very difficult for scientists to determine the wind speed on the planet, which has a very different atmosphere from Earth.

However, thanks to the new anemometer developed by scientists, this difficult process becomes quite simple. The device, which was also tested by Tufts University, is ten times faster and more accurate than any previous anemometer. This is considered an important step for scientists to unravel the mystery on Mars.

The new anemometer device, which measures the speed of movement of gas and air, consists of piezoelectric transducers that use ultrasound emitters to determine how long it takes sound pulses to travel through the air on Mars. By analyzing how waves move forward and reverse, scientists can create a three-dimensional rendering of wind speed.

Scientists involved in the study managed to record air vibrations at a speed of 1 cm/sec. The result was tens of times less than the sensitivity threshold of previous anemometers. Robert White from The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America said the following about this:

By measuring quickly and accurately, we hope to be able to measure not only average winds, but also turbulence and fluctuating winds. This is important for understanding atmospheric variables that could be a problem for small rovers like the Ingenuity helicopter that recently flew on Mars.

Robert White / Acoustical Society of America

Scientists tested the new anemometer by creating conditions similar to those on Mars in a wind tunnel. In the tests, the device recorded the wind speed hundreds of times per second and the data error rate was recorded as only 0.14 percent. In the future, it is expected that this device will be used on Mars and will eliminate some question marks on the Red Planet.