Exploring the Possibilities of a Martian Prison Break During a Solar Storm

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the potential effects of solar and dust storms on Mars, particularly in the context of a hypothetical prison break from a remote penal colony. Participants consider various aspects such as communication interference, visibility of rovers, and the impact on drone operations during such storms.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that dust storms could effectively mask tracks in the Martian dust, suggesting that the movement of dust can cover evidence of movement.
  • There is a suggestion that dust storms may create atmospheric electrical charges that could interfere with radio communications, although the characteristics of Mars' ionosphere may limit over-the-horizon communication capabilities.
  • Participants discuss the potential difficulty in spotting rovers from space during dust storms, with references to past observations of dust obscuring visibility.
  • Concerns are raised about the impact of dust storms on drones, noting that fine dust could hinder their operation and that the Martian atmosphere presents unique challenges for flight.
  • A question is posed about whether over-the-horizon communication could rely on atmospheric diffraction rather than the ionosphere, leading to a discussion about the requirements for diffraction to occur.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the mechanisms of communication interference and the feasibility of using diffraction for over-the-horizon communication, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on assumptions about Martian atmospheric conditions and the behavior of dust storms, which may not be fully understood or tested. The discussion includes references to past missions and theoretical considerations that have not been conclusively validated.

GTOM
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While The martian written by Andy Weir is a really hard stuff, but the effects of the storm at the beginning arent.

But i wonder could a real solar/sandstorm actually help a prison break on Mars (from a remote penal colony)?

Could it mask tracks in the dust?
Could it create enough interference to cause communication problems with beyond the horizont radio? (Escapees cut energy to prevent sending a high energy beam to a satellite)
How much it could make harder to spot a rover from space? (Most spacecraft the authorities have is on, or beyond aerostationary orbit. They rather care about an outside attack than monitor a dead planet, where only underground and domed cities. )
Could it cause significant trouble to drones? (Nasa thinks that large wingspan minimal weight drones might be useful in martian atmosphere)
 
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GTOM said:
Could it mask tracks in the dust?

Yes, storms move sufficient dust around to more than cover tracks, check out https://mars.nasa.gov/news/martian-winds-carve-mountains-move-dust-raise-dust/ for an idea of the sculpting power of what is essentially trillions of fine particles of basalt rock!

GTOM said:
Could it create enough interference to cause communication problems with beyond the horizont radio?

With regard communications interference, some theorists suggest that dust storms can lead to large atmospheric electrical charges that are likely to cause self-induced electricity and lightning. The Schiaparelli EDM lander mission in 2016 was going to test for this but it unfortunately crashed on entry, but it is likely such storms would interfere with radio comms.

But over the horizon comms is dependent on the characteristics of the ionosphere and Mars' one may not be sufficient for radio wave propagation. Refer to https://descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/propagation/mars/MarsPub_sec2.pdf for some ideas on this.

GTOM said:
How much it could make harder to spot a rover from space?

Very. Check out https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8370/opportunity-emerges-in-a-dusty-picture/ for a working example of this!

GTOM said:
Could it cause significant trouble to drones?

We've not yet tested this, but storms are likely to cause problems for drones. These storms can engulf that planet and even as far back as Viking, wind speeds of 6 km/h were measured with 94 km/h gusts. The Martian air pressure means there is no much force in such speeds, but that also means a flying drone needs to be very light - which usually equals fragile. Plus, the dirt is very fine grained so is likely to gum up the works of any drone and static electricity makes it sticky.

But most readers of novel will just take whatever you write at face value if you give appropriate context, so my advice is not to get hung up on detail and get on with the storytelling 👍
 
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Tghu Verd said:
With regard communications interference, some theorists suggest that dust storms can lead to large atmospheric electrical charges that are likely to cause self-induced electricity and lightning. The Schiaparelli EDM lander mission in 2016 was going to test for this but it unfortunately crashed on entry, but it is likely such storms would interfere with radio comms.

But over the horizon comms is dependent on the characteristics of the ionosphere and Mars' one may not be sufficient for radio wave propagation. Refer to https://descanso.jpl.nasa.gov/propagation/mars/MarsPub_sec2.pdf for some ideas on this.

Couldnt beyond the horizont comm rely on diffraction of atmosphere instead of the ionosphere?
 
GTOM said:
Couldnt beyond the horizont comm rely on diffraction of atmosphere instead of the ionosphere?

Doesn't diffraction require a sharp edge? Not sure that the atmosphere would provide the conditions for that.