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Composition and Characteristics
History
Magnetosphere
Climate
Possible Human Benefits
Terraforming
Composition and Characteristics
• Basics
• Composition
95.5%
2.7%
1.6%
0.13%
0.07%
0.006%
Other
CO2
N2
Ar
O, O2
CO
H2O
O3, H, NO, H2
Color: Peach/Salmon Color. Caused by dust particle pollution
-Thickness: 6-7 millibars
.
-Structure:
Lower
Middle
Upper
<45km.
45-110 km.
110-200 km
-Air Cycle.
The Hadley Cell
Cycles.
Very similar to Earth
air cycles.
Based on the Coriolis
Effect.
Distributes heat from
the equator to the
poles.
Heat Trapping
• -Doesn't trap heat very well
• -Most heat near surface, except for the middle
atmosphere.
• -Dust particles in the middle atmosphere absorb
heat from the sun.
• -Heat in atmosphere is more uniform, does not
lose heat proportionally to altitude like on Earth.
How does it compare to Earth’s?
-Thickness
Less than 1% of the Earths at sea
level.
Same thickness as Earth's at
altitude of 30km.
-Earth's atmospheric composition
77%
N2
21%
O, O2
1%
H2O
0.93%
Ar
0.035%
CO2
Other
O3, H, NO,H2, CO
Can also see Halos on
Mars.
Halos are Scattered by CO2
molecules in atmosphere.
History
•First detected by Cassini, in
1672. Saw the Star Phi Aquarii
disappear behind Mars 6
minutes from Mars' Disk.
Therefore concluded it was
very thick.
•Herschel later in 1783
observed two stars pass
through Mars. From results
concluded that atmosphere
wasn't as thick because the
glares didn't change very
noticeably. But noted changes
in belt's, which were perhaps
clouds.
•"The inhabitants of Mars
probably enjoy a situation in
many respects similar to
ours."-Herschel (35, Sheehan)
How Did it form?
• Out gassing, similar
to Earth's and Venus'
• Partially through small
impacts
What went wrong?
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Possible large
crater impacts
ejected atmosphere
into space. Perhaps
in a period of heavy
bombardment that
ended about 3.2
Billion years ago.
Anything larger than
3 km.
Earth and Venus
Have more mass,
and larger
gravitational pulls
(higher escape
velocities)
Other Theories
• Ion Sputtering.
Erosion by solar particles because of lack of
magnetosphere.
Large amounts of deuterium 5X that of Earth's
But not as much H
• Sequestration into regolith and/or icecaps
Carbon Dioxide stored in poles and in regolith
• Weathering
Carbon dioxide converted into carbonates
• Possible photochemical reactions
Loss of Nitrogen
Magnetic Field
•Detected by Mars Global
Surveyor to be 1/800 that of
Earth's at sea level.
•Used to block harmful solar
radiation.
•Because of weak magnetic field,
there is very little Core dynamo in
Mars.
Therefore also no plate tectonic
activity.
•Evidence suggests that there
was a magnetic field of decent
strength. Judging that magnetic
dust particles distributed by
meteor impacts inside of craters
forming magnetic alignments
Climate
Atmospheric Phenomenon…
Enormous, can engulf the entire planet
Dust Devils
Dust devils/Cyclones
\/
Seasons
•Mars Tilted Axis of
25°
•Winter in poles
convert Carbon
Dioxide in
atmosphere to solid
ice.
Almost 1/3 of the
atmosphere is
converted to ice, to
form polar thickness
of 1-2 m each year.
•Water and Carbon
Dioxide Sublimation
back in the Spring
•Water in north pole
can sublimate in
summer to be formed
into ice clouds and
redistributed around
the planet
Earth Climate
Comparison
•Dust Storms
Dust Devils are Much larger than
Martian Dust Devils
Clouds
made of
water-ice
particles
Circulation
Martian
Atmospheric
circulation
similar to
Earth’s
circulation
Atmospheric Affects on Geography
•Dust Devils
Leave Trails
•Dust deposits from
dust storms
•Creation/destruction
of Sand Dunes
How Can we benefit from the
Martian Atmosphere?
• Extract needed gases, as suggested by
Zubrin
• -Water
• -Oxygen
• -Carbon for methane
• -Could also plant trees to convert Carbon
Dioxide to Oxygen.
Protection from falling bodies
• Although thinner than
Earth's, the Martian
atmosphere can be
made thicker by the
greenhouse effect,
decreasing the
amount of meteors
that will reach the
surface.
Transportation/Exploration
•UAV's to explore/map
features.
May be more effective
than satellites
•UAV's can study the
structure of atmosphere
• Balloons can
take high
altitude
measurements
• Possibly transport
vehicles
•If a thicker atmosphere, can
eventually manipulate atmosphere for
transportation.
•Initially, can use flying
machines as a type of postal
service, or communication.
What Can we learn from Mars?
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Greenhouse effects
Ion sputtering
New aircraft design
Similarities in planetary history. Finding a
link between Earth and Mars.
Possible Terraforming Changes
• How to terraform the atmosphere.
• -Suggested use of greenhouse gasses
• SF6, CnF2n+2, C2F6, SF5CF5, and the
chloroflurocarbon family.
• -Some Fluorine will be needed to make these
compounds.
• -Gases must be able to heat the atmosphere, yet not
destroy Ozone.
• -Suggested that 20 nuclear power plants can raise the
temperature of the planet 5°C over a century, but with
better gasses, could take only a decade.
Melting the poles, to release
Carbon dioxide in the south pole,
and water in the north pole.
Possible Consequences?
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Over pollution
Excessive heating
Over thicken the atmosphere
Could create a 2nd Venus instead of a 2nd
Earth
Questions?