How does the UAE Mars probe produce a stunning new map of the Red Planet?

Written by Sama Labib

Saturday, 01 April 2023 08:00 PM

The high-resolution map will help scientists answer many pressing questions, including how dry and arid the surface of Mars became, according to SpaceX.

A team of scientists led by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Space Science Center created the Mars map.

The researchers used data collected from orbit around Mars by the Emirates Exploration for Mars Mission (EMM), also known as Hope or Hope.

The map shows the Red Planet through the ship’s state-of-the-art imaging system, the Emirates Exploration Imager (EXI), a testament to the UAE’s growing influence in science. NYU Abu Dhabi wrote in a statement that it hopes the new Mars map will encourage young people in the UAE to pursue careers in STEM fields.

As part of the new, improved Mars Atlas we’ve been working on, we plan to make our map available for the entire planet, and will be available in English and Arabic once it’s released.

Dimitra Atre, team leader and research scientist, said in the statement. “The hope is that this accessibility will make it a great tool for researchers and students to learn more about Mars and highlight the potential that the UAE space sector can offer.”

To create the map, Atre and team took 3,000 EXI observations on Mars, the equivalent of two years on Earth, and combined them to create a color composite. Major geological features of the planet in high resolution.

The map reveals the remains of polar ice caps, mountains and long, dormant volcanoes, as well as ancient rivers, lakes and valleys. The climate on Mars has changed over billions of years, leading to the dry, barren world we see today.

“The complete map of Mars brings the UAE and the Arab world one step closer to achieving the EMM mission’s ambitious goal of providing a complete global picture of the Martian climate,” Atrey added. “More than 30 previous spacecraft have only been able to take a snapshot of Martian weather, while EMM will monitor seasonal changes over the course of the Martian year.”