Download Lecture 19 - Empyrean Quest Publishers

NOTES: MARS
0.53 Diam(earth), -140 oC to 20 oC
Atmosphere 95% CO2, 3% N2, 2% Ar
24 hr day, 25o axial tilt like Earth
1. Small liquid core and magnetic field. Much thicker solid
mantle than Earth. Thin basaltic crust (20 km).
2. Surface Features: Largest in solar system
A. Two hemispheres separated by 1 km high scarp tilted 35o from equator:
i. To the North--sparsely cratered lowlands.
ii. To the South--very cratered highlands.
B. Tharsis province--just North of scarp--a giant volcanic bulge 5,000 mi long, 4 mi high
i. 3 giant volcanos near crest--195-250 mi across,
15 mi high.
ii. Olympus Mons--NW flank 400 mi wide, 16 mi hi.
iii. Clouds of ice near peaks of mtns.
C. Fractures radiating out from Tharsis:
i. Valles Marineris--to east---3,100 mi long. Water
erosion. Flooding onto lowlands-Chryse Planitia.
ii. Coprates Chasma--430 mi wide, 4 mi deep landslides.
iii. Other canyons--blocks collapsed--chaotic terrain.
3. Dust storms--closer to sun by 20%, 45% hotter--dark spots.
4. Phobos--closest satellite--will take plunge in 100 mill. Yrs.
Stickney--big crater on Phobos. Deimos--smaller satellite.
5. Visits: Mariners 4, 6, 7, 9 orbit, Viking 1, 2 landers.
Pathfinder landed lakebed like Mono Lake, satellite photos.
6. Life? Viking--Amino Acid-like. Antarctic meteorite-bacteria?
Just like men and women have fantasies
about each other, we have had fantasies
about Venus and Mars.
Percival Lowell
and his
‘Canals’ on Mars
Mars fantasies gone wild!
Facts about MARS
0.53 Diam(earth), -140 oC to 20 oC
Atmosphere 95% CO2, 3% N2, 2% Ar
24 hr day, 25o axial tilt like Earth
Small liquid core (if any), almost no
magnetic field.
Much thicker solid mantle than Earth.
Thin basaltic crust (20 km).
Two hemispheres separated by 1 km high scarp
tilted 35o from equator: i. To the North--sparsely cratered
lowlands. ii. To the South--very cratered highlands.
Valles Marineris--to east on last slide--3,100 mi long. Water erosion.
Flooding onto lowlands-Chryse Planitia.
Chryse Panitia—formerly flooded lowlands?
(to left on last slide)
Coprates Chasma--430 mi wide, 4 mi deep landslides—
widest portion of Valley of the Mariners.
Valles Marineris (middle top), Candor Chasma
Tharsis province--just North of scarp--a giant volcanic bulge
5,000 mi long, 4 mi high.
i. 3 giant volcanos near crest--195-250 mi across,
15 mi high.
ii. Olympus Mons--NW flank 400 mi wide, 16 mi high
iii. Clouds of ice near peaks of mtns.
Cydonia Province.
 face
pyramids?
Viking 1976
Face on Mars?
vs
Surveyor 1998
Dust storms--closer to sun by 20% in summer,
45% hotter--dark spots.
Satellites:
Phobos--will take plunge onto Mars in 100 mill. Yrs.
Stickney--big crater on Phobos.
Deimos--smaller satellite.
Early visits:
Mariners 4, 6, 7, 9 orbiters; Viking 1, 2 , Sojourner landers.
Viking’s view.
Mono Lake, California: pillars of bacterial fossils
Pathfinder Mission (Sojourner Rover)
landed near lakebed like Mono Lake.
No signs of fossils
Global Surveyor-best maps:
by laser
pinging
Surface.
Life? Viking--Amino Acid-like.
Antarctic meteorite--bacteria?
After much debate—no…
Mars rover Opportunity
(other was Spirit)
Opportunity ground into El Capitan rock.
BB like formations indicating liquid water in past?
Some alien
must have
been eating
pasta!
Is this
algae!?
(no)
Methane discovered in Mars’ atmosphere!
There are two possible sources: either active volcanoes,
none of which have been found yet on Mars, or microbes.
Scientists operating the Mars Express (French) Spectrometer
(FPS) (2004) have announced they have detected methane.
Confirmed by two telescopic observations.
NASA Phoenix lander (2008) discovers WATER ice
on Mars! life way underneath surface?