As Perseverance is testing the various equipment in preparation for the start of its science mission to search for signs of ancient life on Mars, it has already begun to submit some interesting data. In addition to the incredible images of the exciting Perseverance landing and the first audio sent from the Red Planet, he has also sent his first scientific results while testing the impressive instrument with Spanish participation, SuperCam .
The latest image of the arid planet is Perseverance's first sighting of a dust devil, caught spinning on the dusty ground behind his robotic arm, after only 26 suns (Mars days). Opportunity took 7 years to capture the first dust devil.
Dust devils are formed from rising hot air pockets. The air closest to the ground can become warm due to contact with warm ground that has been heated by the sun's rays. Hot air is less dense than cold air, so it rises overhead in an updraft and can begin to rotate. When more air comes in to replace the rising hot air, a spinning vortex is created, hence they are often seen sliding across the ground.
