Martian Cloud?

[supernova1965]

This article is interesting what do you all think it is:question:

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/23/10831821-mysterious-cloud-spotted-on-mars

[Paul Haese]

Wayne showed Anthony, Trev and myself this data before he went public with it. First of all he wondered if it might be phobos, but Anthony thought that was not it, due to angle etc. I remember noting to Wayne that there was stuff behind the main body, but I had no idea at the time what it could have been. Not seen this before myself.

An interesting event and yet another one for planetary imagers. If you spend enough time doing this stuff you can discover something.

[supernova1965]

Here is what may be a stupid question are there any volcano's in that location:question:

[Dave2042]

I thought that it was generally accepted that Mars is geologically 'dead'.


the core has cooled enough that there is no internal 'dynamo' and no strong magnetic field;
very thick crust compared to earth;
no currently observed volcanic activity; and
no apparently recent lava flows.



If this is volcanic activity, it would probably be very big news.

Anyone think otherwise?

[iceman]

Some commentary by Phil Plaitt here:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/03/26/go-look-at-mars/

Looks like Wayne has really captured it!