Mars

1
Mars
Mars

• An Introduction

2
Acknowledgements

• This presentation is made available only for the
  use of students in The Planets (51.106).

3
Cultural History

• God of War, revered by Romans
• Percival Lowell and canals
• War of the Worlds and little green men
• Focus of human exploration

4
Statue of Mars in Temple of Mars Ultor, Mars
the Avenger. Built and dedicated by Caesar
Augustus upon the assassination of Julius Caesar.
5
Cultural History

• God of War, revered by Romans
• Percival Lowell and canals
• War of the Worlds and little green men
• Focus of human exploration

6
Percival Lowell
Illustration from his book, Mars
In his privately funded observatory, circa 1900.
7
Cultural History

• God of War, revered by Romans
• Percival Lowell and canals
• War of the Worlds and little green men
• Focus of human exploration

8
Little Green Men
The book that started it. By futurist H. G. Wells
The broadcast that kept it alive. Orson Welles,
1938 radio show
9
Cultural History

• God of War, revered by Romans
• Percival Lowell and canals
• War of the Worlds and little green men
• Focus of human exploration

10
Mars Pathfinder, 1997
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Physical Properties

• The Red Planet because of iron oxides
• Diameter ½ the Earth
• Day of 24.6 hours
• Year of 2 Earth years
• Tilt of 25 gives it 4 seasons, 6 months each
• Thin atmosphere of CO2 (0.01 atm)
• No global magnetic field
• High daytime temps of 0C near equator, -100C at
  night in mid-latitudes

12
Global Features

• Hemispheric Dichotomy
• Hellas Basin
• Tharsis Bulge
• Shield Volcanoes
• Valles Marineris
• Polar Caps
• Evidence of Liquid Water

13
Mars Global Topography from Mars Global Surveyor
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Note.

• Hemispheric dichotomy

15
Note.

• Hellas Basin

16
Note.

• Tharsis Bulge
• Valles Marineris, Volcanoes

17
Global Features

• Hemispheric Dichotomy
• Hellas Basin
• Tharsis Bulge
• Shield Volcanoes
• Valles Marineris
• Polar Caps
• Evidence of Liquid Water

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Tharsis Bulge Mantle Plume?
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Tharsis Shield Volcanoes
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Olympus Mons
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Olympus Mons
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Valles Marineris
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Global Features

• Hemispheric Dichotomy
• Hellas Basin
• Tharsis Bulge
• Shield Volcanoes
• Valles Marineris
• Polar Caps
• Evidence of Liquid Water

24
Northern Polar Cap
25
Global Features

• Hemispheric Dichotomy
• Hellas Basin
• Tharsis Bulge
• Shield Volcanoes
• Valles Marineris
• Polar Caps
• Evidence of Liquid Water

26
Martian Valley Networks
Only found in Southern Highlands
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Layering in Craters and other areas
Ancient Crater Lake?
Close-up Showing Stratigraphy
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Images Showing Recent (?) Water Flows
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The Face
The One That Started It (Viking Orbiter, 1970s)
The One that Should Have Ended It Mars Global
Surveyor, 1990s