Martian Dust

[Sole]

This may well be a very dumb question...

Given the global dust storms that Mars periodically experiences, why is it that Valles Marinaris doesn't serve as a dust trap? The logical reason is that winds blowing within the valley system extract the dust.

Anybody have a more erudite or factual solution?

Sole, NZ

[ving (David)]

er.... stuffed if I know?

welcome aboard anyhow sole. I am sure one of the guys has a theory or two on this

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Don't know sole, but I'll have a guess. Maybe because it runs generally east west and is so wide the wind storms, that move in that direction ( or is it west east I can never remember) are able to get right down into the canyon lifting the dust high in the asmosphere.

Good question though. I don't know if I'm close but it makes sense to me.

[Sole]

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Don't know sole, but I'll have a guess. Maybe because it runs generally east west and is so wide the wind storms, that move in that direction ( or is it west east I can never remember) are able to get right down into the canyon lifting the dust high in the asmosphere.

Good question though. I don't know if I'm close but it makes sense to me.

Yep, that is somewhere near my conclusion. Obviously although there is less atmospheric density the Martian winds pack some punch as even the crater floors seem relatively dust free.

Sole