Capture of magnetic dust in a simulated Martian aerosol: the importance of aerodynamics

The magnetic properties of dust in the Martian atmosphere have been studied on the Pathfinder mission by observing capture on permanent magnets. The present simulations are the first to be performed at pressures and wind speeds typical on Mars. Hematite is around a factor of ten less magnetic than current estimates for the Martian atmospheric dust, yet at low simulated wind speeds (<1 m/s) this mineral captures even on the weaker of the Pathfinder magnets, as does the dust on Mars. This emphasises the critical dependency on aerodynamics and suggests that the suspended Martian dust may be similarly weakly magnetic.