•  This subject is important because it can prove the theory that there was once an ocean on Mars located on the northern pole. It’s important to know whether there was an ocean on Mars because it could be evidence that Mars could have once in the sustained life in the past. Though an ocean is not necessarily needed to sustain human life, it could act as an environment for other organisms. •  This topic is interesting because it could lead to further research regarding life on Mars. Life on Mars is also interesting because ice is a rare feature in space. The existence of ice can help understand other planets and there similarities to Earth. H: The closer the ice is to the pole the higher the elevation of the ice. A1: The closer the ice is to the pole the lower the elevation of the ice. A2: The closer the ice is to the pole and the elevation will not be effected. •  Poles: The end of a planets axis of rotation, marking the northern most or south most point on the planet. •  Elevation: The height to which something is elevated or to which it rises. •  Ice: The solid form of water, produced by freezing; frozen water. Faults in the ice Ice Image ID: V40611004
http://themis.asu.edu/
Ice on the surface of Mars forms
when, a liquid or carbon dioxide,
freezes when put under low
temperatures, creating ice.
Google Image <http://www.msss.com/http/ps/moc/moc.html>. Image ID: V40059006
http://themis.asu.edu/
In 2001 NASA discovered ice on Mars using
the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Boynton, principal
investigator, said “It may be better to characterize
this layer as dirty ice rather than as dirt containing
ice.” Also NASA has concluded that even though
they have found Ice, does not mean it is liquid ice.
NASA has stated it could also possibly be gas ice.
<http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm197586.htm#>. Steps:
1. First, I would go to the http://themis.asu.edu topic page*
website to find images to observe. For my project I would
look at images relating to Ice/Polar caps.
2. For each image I observe, I would write down the Image
Identification Number
So that I (or other scientists) could reexamine those same
images at anytime.
3. For each image I observe I would write whether it did or
did not have the specific
Feature(s) in the image, that I am looking for. Even if the
image does not have the
Features(s) I am looking for it is still valuable data.
4. Next I would record Longitude and latitude of each image to look
for any patterns in the observations I Make and also be able to plot
that information on a map.
5. Type the longitude/latitude of the Themis image.
6. Click ‘View’ -> ‘Recenter image.’
7. Click ‘add new layer’ -> ‘Stamps’ -> ‘Themis.’
8. Type the image ID -> click ‘Okay.’
9. Click the ‘Ruler’ tool in the toolbar -> Click and Drag across
Wanted distance to measure.
10. Record data.
11. Right click the Themis image -> ‘View Themis stamps’
-> ‘Render ARB.
12. Zoom Image.
13. ‘Add new layer’ -> ‘Maps’ -> ‘Mola shaded relief.’
14. Adjust transparency to zero.
15. Double click layer -> ‘Chart’ -> ‘Minimize chart.’
16. Use ‘Selection’ tool from toolbar.
17. Draw a line across width of image.
18. ‘Reopen chart.’
19. Find highest and lowest points of elevation.
20. Subtract elevations to find difference.
21. Record measurments.
22. Repeat steps 5-21 for every Themis Image.
Image (v)(id) V16615014 V15937002 V13129002 V39631007 V40059006 longitude 142.298
56.5959
77.386
97.5027
36.0515
latitude image description distance from poles (km) Elevation (m) -­‐71.6878
This image shows the margin of the south polar cap . And shows the layers of the ice 1088
1114
-­‐79.6614
this picture was taken in the summer which melted most of the ice making the image more detailed 614
1044
80.0017
this picture was taken in the spring when the melting ice caused streakes 585.5
-­‐8906
-­‐86.1853
dark spots appear on the south polar ice caps after the sun has shone on the caps 223
333
-­‐66.3816
Dark surface meterial is starting to appear as the frost is sublimeted 1396
336
V39861009 327.367
-­‐83.3642
Layering in the south pole ice is easy to see in the outlier of the main pole 391
490
174
510
975
V39948009 275.27
-­‐87.0311
V40611004 296.925
-­‐81.517
through sides and floors are different from the flat top of the surface car "Inca city "intersecting ridges -­‐86.1246
As the suh rises over the south pole these intersecting texture are revealed 223.9
80
-­‐82.4047
The layer of this polar caps is evidence in this image 445
582
-­‐81.357
This image of the south margin of the south pollar caps show sea level ridges 514
734
-­‐81.0987
The unusal surface pattern exsists at the margin of the north polar layars deposit 525
-­‐9324
V31451005 V23116009 V23142013 V19199005 310.06
318.484
291.0188
299.192
V11536002 V12048006 V02330006 V096317004 V02381004 V39861009 V41990003 299.265
302.104
142.389
354.181
102.68
327
97
82.7594
Distinctive markings on the caps while defrosting in the spring and the summer 424
-­‐8106
80.6114
This image represents fresher ice in a blue color 554
9890
79.4804
This image shows sand dunes covered in C02 frost 622.7
-­‐9280
-­‐70.7124
This image shows ice defrosting pieces of sand 1146
142
70.4127
This image shows a frosted crater in the northern hemisphere 1161
8249
-­‐83
This image shows layering in the southern polar ice 391
551
-­‐85
This image shows that the surface under the ice is evedent 291.4
915
V28342002
80.201
84.76
this image shows ice on the north pole of mars
321
309
V12597001
11.944
86.968
this image shows ice on the north pole of mars 64
182.6
89.644
this image shows the layers of the northern pole of mars V12627002
V12749001
V21986004
V13058001
V11479001
217.875
263.893
241.888
350.758
180.198
165 191
86.26
this image shows the layers of the northern pole of mars
411 244.9
86.935
this image shows the layers of the north pole of mars
244 182.2
85.52
this image shows the layers of the northern pole of mars
465 268.3
85.469
this image shows the ice at the top of the northern polar cap 1595 258.7
Images Ploted on a Mola Map 90 60 30 Latitude 0 -­‐30 -­‐60 -­‐90 0 90 180 Longitude 270 360 Our research is showing us that there is
little to no relationship in the elevation of the ice
and its distance away from the pole. However
the data does show that there is a significant
difference in the elevation of the north pole and
that of the south pole. When studying the
MOLA map, it is evident that the north pole had
has a much lower elevation than that of the
south pole.
The closer the ice is to the pole the higher the eleva0on is. Our hypothesis was not supported. This statement was proven to be not completely wrong in our research. This was not supported because image V39631007 was 223 kilometers away from the poles and yet it had an eleva0on of 333 meters. Then image 40059006 was 1396 kilometers away from the poles but had an eleva0on of 336 meters. Both of these images eleva0ons were around the same even though their distances away from the poles were hundreds of meters a part .The closer the ice is to the pole the eleva0on does not change. The THEMIS camera takes picture at one point and 0me in the year. How solid the ice is could have varied throughout the year due to seasons and when it was closest to the sun. Another source of error could have been the amount of pictures the were used. More accurate and solid data would have been applied if we had more pictures to choose from. What our research did conclude though, is that the ice closest to the north pole had a low eleva0on compared to the ice closest to the south pole which had a rather high eleva0on. This shows great support to Timothy Parker’s theory that the north pole once had an ocean near, on or in it. •  Caplinger, Michael. "Mars Observer Webpage." Online Image. Mars Observer Camera Essay. November 1995. Nov 6 2012 <http://www.msss.com/http/ps/moc/moc.html>. •  "Department of Health and Human services." Online Image. FDA U.S Food and Drug Administration . August 10 2010. November 6 2012 <http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm197586.htm#>. it! Ice on Mars." NASA SCIENCE NEWS. 2002. NASA Science. Nov 6 2012 • •  "Found <http://science.nasa.gov/science-­‐news/science-­‐at-­‐
nasa/
2002/28may_marsice>. •  JMARS. Mars Space Flight facility, Arizona State University. October 29-­‐ Nov 6 2012. V40059006. http://themis.asu.edu/ •  JMARS. Mars space Flight Facility, Arizona State University. October 29-­‐ Nov 6 2012 V40611004. http://themis.asu.edu/ •  "North and Southpole/elevation." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, 20 Nov. 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. <http://dictionary.reference.com/>. •  Young, Amanda. "Motivational webpage." Online Image. WOTPAST. No date. Nov 6 2012 <http://wotpast.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/motivate-­‐me-­‐day-­‐two-­‐
melting-­‐ice/>.