The Impact of small cosmic bodies on the Martian surface may be the ca
use of local sand storms. The interaction of the shock waves with the
thermal layer (created by the action of thermal radiation to the surfa
ce) leads to the formation of a high-velocity jet moving along the sur
face. A reverse vortex in the precursor facilitates dust lifting. This
and other factors lead to the dust rising: outgassing of the surface
layer due to heating by the radiation impulse; intrusion of the high-p
ressure atmospheric gas behind the shock wave into the regolith and du
st layer and subsequent blow off in the rarefaction wave; and formatio
n of jets moving along the surface due to interaction of the ballistic
wave with the blast wave and due to erosion by high-velocity impulsiv
e winds behind the shock wave of the explosion. The results of prelimi
nary theoretical simulations and laboratory modeling are presented.