The picture is good. But when the sound isn’t there, undeniably, something is really missing. And this is something about Mars that persistence gives us thanks to sounds that have been recorded for more than a year on the surface of the red planet.

Over a year ago, NASA shared a file The first votes have been recorded by voice rover Persevere as it moves across the surface of Mars. Bringing Mars exploration into a new era. Because other than the fact that hearing a machine roll over another world is enough to cause chills, analyzing these sounds is of real interest to planetary scientists. Especially for those who want to expand their knowledge ofambiance The red planet and its interactions with the surface.

And so Perseverance, right from the start of its mission, records hours upon hours of votes. of which researchers are now offering a selection of them. Kind of Playlist Mars that intensifies the acoustic environment found on Mars. And it turns out that most of the time, it’s planet silent. Nature sounds are rare and extremely secretive. With the notable exception of Wind. “The place is so quiet that we thought, at one point, that the microphone was broken”Paradoxically, the researchers when presenting their first results at a conferenceAmerican Acoustic Association.

Valuable scientific information

More seriously, the researchers were surprised by the sudden changes that occurred in the atmosphere of Mars. While the recordings sound quite quiet, violent gusts can kick in suddenly.

Perseverance recordings also reveal that the sound landscape of the Red Planet changes with the format of seasons. In winterWhen Carbon Dioxide (Ko₂) freezes on the side of a file polar caps, the density of the atmosphere changes. The intensity of the sound varies by about 20%. and the company₂ It also softens high-pitched sounds with distance.

While NASA expressed skepticism about the idea of ​​​​implementation audio recordings On Mars, perseverance proves it was worth it. Even if scholars estimate that such recordings could be richer in teachings on planets or… moons to a more intense atmosphere. Like Venus or Titan. There, the sound waves interact more strongly and propagate farther. Idea for future missions…