PHY 113 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: The Moons, Solar Wind, Tharsis
9 Jun 2018
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Chapter 10 Mars
10.1 Orbital Properties
10.2 Physical Properties
10.3 Long-Distance Observations of Mars 10.4 The Martian Surface
10.5 Water on Mars
Life on Mars?
10.6 The Martian Atmosphere 10.7 Martian Internal Structure 10.8 The Moons of Mars
10.1 Orbital Properties
Mars’s orbit is fairly eccentric which affects amount of sunlight reaching it
When viewed from Earth, Mars can be located either in the general direction of the Sun
(conjunction) or away from it (opposition).
10.2 Physical Properties
Radius: 3394 km (~ 1⁄2 of Earth) Moons: Deimos, Phobos
Length of day: 24.6 hours
10.3 Long-Distance Observations of Mars
From Earth, can see polar ice caps that grow and shrink with the seasons
Much better pictures from Mars missions, close-up
• Changing polar ice caps are frozen carbon dioxide; water ice is permanently frozen
• Shifting dust cover makes surface look like it is changing cover up craters so it doesn’t look
like Moon/ Mercury (atmosphere doesn’t explain it this time!)
• Frequent dust storms, with high winds
Mars Exploration: Rovers
Some examples: • Sojourner (1997)
• Spirit & Opportunity (2003)
• Curiosity (2012)
• AboutthesizeofanSUV
• Basicallyanautomatedsciencelaboratory
(official name “Mars Science Laboratory”)
Link on difficulty of safely landing a rover on Mars:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/video-view.cfm?Vid_ID=1642
10.4 The Martian Surface
This map shows the main surface features of Mars. There is no evidence for plate tectonics.
Curiosity recently landed in the Gale Crater.
• Northern hemisphere (left) is rolling volcanic terrain
• Southern hemisphere (right) is heavily cratered highlands;
average altitude 5 km above northern • Assumption northern surface is younger than southern
• Means that northern hemisphere must have been lower in elevation and then flooded with
lava
Major feature: Tharsis bulge, size of North America and 10 km above surroundings
Minimal cratering; youngest surface on Mars
Valles Marineris: Huge canyon, created by crustal forces
• 4000 km long
• Maximum 120 km wide, 7 km deep
Top right: Grand Canyon on same scale
Mars has largest volcano in solar system: Olympus Mons
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
10. 3 long-distance observations of mars 10. 4 the martian surface. 10. 6 the martian atmosphere 10. 7 martian internal structure 10. 8 the moons of mars. Mars"s orbit is fairly eccentric which affects amount of sunlight reaching it. When viewed from earth, mars can be located either in the general direction of the sun (conjunction) or away from it (opposition). Radius: 3394 km (~ 1 2 of earth) moons: deimos, phobos. From earth, can see polar ice caps that grow and shrink with the seasons. Some examples: sojourner (1997: spirit & opportunity (2003, curiosity (2012, aboutthesizeofansuv, basicallyanautomatedsciencelaboratory (official name mars science laboratory ) Link on difficulty of safely landing a rover on mars: http://solarsystem. nasa. gov/multimedia/video-view. cfm?vid_id=1642. This map shows the main surface features of mars. Major feature: tharsis bulge, size of north america and 10 km above surroundings. Valles marineris: huge canyon, created by crustal forces: 4000 km long, maximum 120 km wide, 7 km deep.
