"Dust devils themselves are difficult to capture in images because they are so short-lived," Ingrid Daubar, a planetary scientist at Brown University and lead author of the study, told Space.com by email. "The tracks they leave behind last longer, so we are able to observe them more thoroughly."

Due to extreme temperatures and the dryness of Mars, it's thought to be impossible for liquid water to form on the planet's surface, a critical precondition for habitability. The only hope of finding liquid water appears to be in the form of brines,

Explore the race to Mars! Discover NASA, SpaceX, and China's plans, their groundbreaking goals, and the challenges of reaching the Red Planet.

A 54-pound meteorite from Mars is expected to fetch up to $4 million when it goes up for auction later this month at Sotheby's.

Mariner 4, built by JPL in Pasadena, took the images on July 14, 1965. One of the mission's leaders reflects on decades of studying the Red Planet.