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The Terrestrial Planets, Part III

Explore the physical data, atmosphere, surface features, moons, and myths surrounding Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun.

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The Terrestrial Planets, Part III

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  1. The Terrestrial Planets,Part III Mars

  2. MARSThe God of War

  3. Physical Data • Diameter: 6,794 km (0.531 Dearth) • Mass: 6.40x1027 g (0.107 Mearth) • Density: 3.96 g/cm3 • Rotation Period: 24.6 hours • Tilt of Axis: 25o • Surface Temperature: 130-290 K

  4. Physical Data • Orbital Semi-major Axis: 1.524 AU • Orbital Period: 1.881 years • Orbital Inclination: 2o • Orbital Eccentricity: 0.093 • Surface Gravity: 0.38 Earth Gravity

  5. Physical Data • Satellites: 2 • Magnetic Field: no • Surface Pressure: 0.01 Earth’s Pressure

  6. Relatively small core size compared to the mantle Smallest core of all the terrestrial planets compared to the overall volume (~9%) Exact composition of mantle is unknown Mars’ Interior CRUST ( aluminum silicates ) 3393 km 1520 km CORE ( iron + iron sulfide ) MANTLE ( iron-magnesium silicates ? )

  7. Mars’ Atmosphere • Clouds Planet-wide Clouds ( from Hubble) A Cyclonic Event

  8. Mars’ Atmosphere • 95% Carbon Dioxide • 2.7% Nitrogen • 1.6% Argon • 0.6% Carbon Monoxide • 0.15% Oxygen • 0.03% Water Vapor (variable)

  9. Polar Caps: Composed of both carbon dioxide and water South Polar Cap: Consists mainly of frozen carbon dioxide. This cap never melts completely. This picture shows it at its minimum size of 400 km (249 miles). Mars’ Surface

  10. North Polar Cap: Consists of mainly water-ice. Seasonal Changes: When spring begins in a hemisphere, the corresponding cap shrinks as the carbon dioxide turns directly into a gas. Mars’ Surface

  11. Mars’ Surface • Polar caps change in size depending on the Martian seasons.

  12. Olympus Mons: Largest mountain (volcano) in the Solar System 24 km (78,000 ft) high Base is 500 km in diameter Rimmed by a 6 km (20,000 ft) high cliff Mars’ Surface 500 km

  13. Valles Marineris: Huge canyon Would stretch coast to coast across the U.S. It is 4000 km (2500 miles) long and up to 6 km (4 miles) deep Mars’ Surface 4000 km

  14. Mars’ Surface Flight over the Martian Terrain, including Valles Marineris and Three Volcanos m

  15. Viking Lander: Landed in Chryse Planitia on July 20, 1976 Took panoramic pictures of the surface On-board experiments tested soil for signs of life. Results were inconclusive. Mars’ Surface

  16. Mars’ Surface Viking Photos: To the right: Morning ground frost Below: Panorama and Mars’ pink sky.

  17. Mars’ Surface Pathfinder Photos: Rover and “Yogi” Martian Sunset

  18. Water on Mars? There is evidence of liquid water once flowing over the surface of Mars. Fluvial Features: Created by water flowing around a crater (right). Probably caused by a flood. Mars’ Surface

  19. Dry Riverbeds: Created by slow erosion of running water. Mars’ Surface

  20. Dust Storms: Mars’ surface winds churn up surface material Storm sizes range in size from small local “dust-devils” to plumes that sweep over the entire planet (right) Mars’ Surface

  21. Mars’ Moons PHOBOS: “Phobos” is Greek for “fear” Mars’ innermost moon Size: 27 x 21.6 x 18.8 km Above: Crater Stickney Left: Image by Soviet spacecraft Phobos 2, launched in 1988

  22. DEIMOS: “Deimos” is Greek for “panic” Smallest known moon in the solar system: 15 x 12.2 x 11 km Mars’ Moons Phobos and Deimos are probably captured asteroids

  23. Martian Myths of Yesterday Canals of Mars: • “Discovered” by G.V. Schiaparelli in 1877 • Percival Lowell (below) built an observatory in 1894 pricipally for the study of the Martian canals • The canals are actually optical illusions

  24. “The Face”: Lies in the Cydonia region, a region of weathered, isolated hills One hill resembling a face was photograghed by Viking 1 Martian Myths of Today Some people believe this is a monument built by a Martian intelligence, and that other surface features resemble pyramids, cities, and fortresses

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