Perseverance Rover Measures Sharp Surface-Air Temperature Gap on Mars

NASA's Perseverance rover has recorded striking temperature differences between the ground and air near Mars's Jezero Crater. The planet's surface can be relatively warm while the air just above it remains freezing cold. This contrast exists because Mars has a thin atmosphere that is unable to efficiently absorb or redistribute solar heat. Such extreme thermal variations present serious engineering challenges for designing rovers and equipment for future human missions. Scientists say understanding these conditions is essential for building hardware capable of surviving the harsh Martian environment.