Mars
Mars
An Introduction
Acknowledgements
This presentation is made available only for
the use of students in The Planets
(51.106).
Cultural History
God of War, revered by Romans
Percival Lowell and canals
War of the Worlds and little green men
Focus of human exploration
Statue of Mars in
Temple of Mars Ultor,
“Mars the Avenger.”
Built and dedicated by
Caesar Augustus upon
the assassination of
Julius Caesar.
Cultural History
God of War, revered by Romans
Percival Lowell and canals
War of the Worlds and little green men
Focus of human exploration
Percival Lowell
Illustration from his book, Mars
In his privately funded observatory,
circa 1900.
Cultural History
God of War, revered by Romans
Percival Lowell and canals
War of the Worlds and little green
men
Focus of human exploration
Little Green Men
The book that started it. The broadcast that kept it alive.
By futurist H. G. Wells Orson Welles, 1938 radio show
Cultural History
God of War, revered by Romans
Percival Lowell and canals
War of the Worlds and little green men
Focus of human exploration
Mars Pathfinder, 1997
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 0°C near equator, -100°C
at night in mid-latitudes
Global Features
Hemispheric Dichotomy
Hellas Basin
Tharsis Bulge
– Shield Volcanoes
– Valles Marineris
Polar Caps
Evidence of Liquid Water
Mars Global Topography from
Mars Global Surveyor
Note….
Hemispheric dichotomy
Note….
Hellas Basin
Note….
Tharsis Bulge
Valles Marineris, Volcanoes
Global Features
Hemispheric Dichotomy
Hellas Basin
Tharsis Bulge
– Shield Volcanoes
– Valles Marineris
Polar Caps
Evidence of Liquid Water
Tharsis Bulge – Mantle Plume?
Tharsis Shield Volcanoes
Olympus Mons
Olympus Mons
Valles Marineris
Global Features
Hemispheric Dichotomy
Hellas Basin
Tharsis Bulge
– Shield Volcanoes
– Valles Marineris
Polar Caps
Evidence of Liquid Water
Northern Polar Cap
Global Features
Hemispheric Dichotomy
Hellas Basin
Tharsis Bulge
– Shield Volcanoes
– Valles Marineris
Polar Caps
Evidence of Liquid Water
Martian Valley Networks
Only found in Southern Highlands
Layering in Craters and other areas
Ancient Crater Lake?
Close-up Showing Stratigraphy
Images Showing Recent (?) Water Flows
The Face
The One That Started It
(Viking Orbiter, 1970’s) The One that Should Have Ended It
Mars Global Surveyor, 1990’s