Unique frequency distribution of ice and dust cloud observations over Gale Crater on Mars

A normalized cloud index was tested to detect clouds using the MARs Camera Imager (MARCI) on the Mars Reconaissance orbiter. The algorithm and its validation are described. After validation it was used to extract the frequency of ice and dust clouds over the region around Gale. The analysis suggests a higher frequency of hazes and ice clouds over this region than over the other three final candidate sites for landing the Mars Science Laboratory at Mawrth, Eberswalde and Holding and a different type of non-guassian distribution raising the question about what properties around Gale could be causing a different cloud cycle.