Surface of Mars

Name: Trey Riley

Lab Experiment #6: Surface of Moon

Date: March 22, 2016

Abstract

          The purpose of this lab and this report is to study, familiarize, and identify distinct surface features of Mars. Visible, infrared, and elevation maps, as well as globes of Mars were analyzed extensively to achieve the objective of this lab. Mars has distinct surface features much like the Earth. Mars has mountains, valleys, ridges, craters, lowlands, highlands, and distinct changes between each surface feature. Due to the lack of gravity on Mars, the surface features found there are exaggerated. Mars holds the solar system’s largest volcano, Olympus Mons, which has a diameter roughly the size of the state of Arizona, as well as the deepest canyon system, Valles Marineris, which is nearly four times as deep as the Grand Canyon. Un-maned expeditions to Mars have been made, yielding a better understanding on the surface of Mars, as well as its composition, both atmospherically as well as geologically.

Introduction

           This report has six distinctive experiments. The purpose in doing the first experiment is to examine what the astronomer Percival Lowell observed on Mars in the early twentieth century compared to what we know today in 2016. Lowell rendered a drawing of what he observed. He believed he had found evidence of intelligent life on Mars by observing what he thought to be an extensive canal system across Mars. This theory was driven by the time which he was alive, since transportation by boat across canals was becoming a major means of crossing large distances of ocean in shorter amounts of time. What Lowell was actually observing seems to be the elevation changes of what were once ancient oceans and rivers on Mars that has now dried, leaving only the erosion caused by the effects of water.

Percival Lowell's rendering of the surface of Mars

           

The second experiment conducted consisted of viewing multiple photographs of Mars from the surface of Earth without adaptive optics. Specific surface features were to be identified, and then compared with the Hubble Space telescopes images. Some features that can be observed from the surface of the Earth with a small refracting telescope appear to be the polar ice caps at the North and South Poles, distinct changes in elevation from mountain ranges to seas, as well as some of the largest craters on the surface of Mars. From the Hubble Space Telescope, clearly identifiable are the polar ice caps on the North and South Poles, distinct changes in elevation from mountain ranges to seas, and also the amount of cratering on the surface of Mars, yielding a better understanding of the age of Mars. Mars was then to be compared to Mercury in the aspect of cratering. Mercury is a heavily cratered surface, while Mars has a moderately cratered surface. Therefore, volcanic activity has just recently ceased on Mars, in the hundred millions of years, while volcanic activity on Mercury ceased some few billion years ago. Finally the retrograde motion of Mars in our sky was to be analyzed. As we catch up to and pass Mars in our orbit of the Sun, Mars becomes bigger as we get closer, and as we pass Mars and move away, it becomes smaller.

Hubble (right) vs Earth (left)

           

In the third experiment, two separate images were taken of Mars months apart. These two images were to be analyzed, with the similarities and differences noted. The main features that are identifiable are the craters, changes in elevation, and the polar ice caps. The main similarity between the two images is that the elevation changes is still visible, as well as the polar ice caps. The difference being, that one is seems to be covered with some type of opaque layer, while the other is easily visible. The opaque image seems to point towards some type of dust storm raging on the surface of Mars that would make light unable to pass through.

           

During the fourth experiment, an elevation map of the surface of Mars was given to us, and was to be used. We were asked about the highest features on the surface of Mars, which appeared to be four separate volcanoes, all in somewhat close proximity to each other. The differences between the Northern and Southern hemispheres were to be noted. The Northern hemisphere of Mars contains the planets lowlands, three of the four massive volcanoes on the planet, and has minimal cratering. The Southern hemisphere of Mars has the planets highlands, one of the four massive volcanoes, and a majority of all the cratering on the planet. There also appears to be an extremely large crater in the Southern hemisphere, Hellas Crater. Also, landing sites of certain rovers and spacecraft were to be found and examined. Viking I and II landed in flat terrain, both in the Northern hemisphere, and both near cratering. Viking I seems to have had a mission to study the boarder of the lowlands to the highlands in the Northern hemisphere, while Viking II seems to have had a mission to study the lowlands further North. Pathfinder, Spirit, and Curiosity, are the rovers that have landed on the surface of Mars. Pathfinder landed near Viking I on flat terrain on the border between the lowlands and highlands of Mars in the Northern hemisphere. Pathfinder’s mission may have been to examine the terrain differences and craters near the border of the two different surfaces. Spirit landed in the Southern hemisphere on moderately cratered and elevated ground. Spirit’s mission may have been to examine the highlands surface features and craters. Curiosity landed directly on the equator due east on moderately cratered and elevated land. Curiosity’s mission may have been to go directly North and study a massive volcano, or head due southwest and study Hellas Crater. The Soviet Mars 3 spacecraft also landed, but lost contact with Earth roughly fifteen seconds after transmission. It may have tipped over due to its landing site, possible ending up on the ride of a crater. If the ground was unstable, the spacecraft could have fallen over and broken it’s electronics.

Length of Valles Marineris compared to United States

           

Proceeding with the fifth experiment, further examination of the surface of Mars was to be done with elevation, visible, and infrared maps. Gisev Crater and Meridiani Terra were examined, being where Spirit and Opportunity landed respectively. Spirit may have landed near Gisev Crater because there is a river bed nearby to the South, as well as other craters directly southeast. Opportunity may have landed near Meridiani Terra because there are multiple other craters nearby, as well as what appears to be a river bed to the west, while higher elevation is to the Southeast. While examining each site in the visible and infrared, a clear difference between the two can be discerned. In the infrared, much more detail of cratering, as well as elevation change is clear. Finally, Niger Valles was examined. From higher elevation to the lower elevation, Niger Valles seems to have been eroded by water, possible an ancient river.

Niger Valles higher elevation to lower elevation

           

In the sixth experiment, we were giving the opportunity to plan the next mission to Mars. If I were to plan the next mission to Mars, I would be going to the Northern hemisphere, and find proof of either water based erosion, or possible evidence of water still existing as a liquid on the surface. Also, a chemical composition test of the polar ice caps would be a secondary goal of a rover mission, to know the exact composition of what is in the polar ice caps. Knowing exactly what is trapped in the ice can give a look back into Mars not as distant past as an active planet.

Procedures

Throughout each individual experiment, a certain type of map was consulted, as well as other pictures of Mars surface. The types of maps used were elevation, visible, and infrared maps. From each of these maps, information could easily be discerned. If information was not clear enough, hi-def resolutions of photos of the surface from NASA were examined to make a better explanation to the experiment.

Results and Discussion

Experiment One

            Percival Lowell examined the surface of Mars in the early twentieth century and found signs of erosion and elevation changes, leading him to believe that what he was seeing was an advanced culture mirroring that of Earth’s culture at the time. If he had more resolute images of the surface of Mars, Lowell could have been able to tell that what he was seeing was not canals and waterways created by an advanced people. Rather, he was seeing lowlands and highlands forming borders with different types of surface features.     

Experiment Two

            What is observed from the surface of Earth looking at Mars is much different than what is observed from the Hubble Space Telescope. Both can identify basic features such as lowlands, highlands, polar ice caps, and extremely large craters. The Hubble Space Telescope can more easily identify these features with greater resolution due to the lack of atmospheric disturbance, as well as being closer to Mars with a higher angular resolution, and surely with a larger light-gathering area. Mars does not have nearly as many visible craters as Mercury, due to having active volcanic activity much more recently than Mercury. As Mars goes through its retrograde motion in our night sky, it appears to become larger and smaller at certain points. This is due to the Earth catching up to and passing Mars, meaning it is much closer, correlating to the change in size from smaller to larger. Once Earth has caught Mars and continues on its faster orbit of the Sun, Earth gets further from Mars, correlating to the change in size from larger to smaller.

Retrograde motion between Earth and Mars

Experiment Three

            When the two images are compared, there are some similarities and differences. In both images, the polar ice caps, elevation change, and craters can be observed if the image is closely examined. The difference being, in the second image, there is much less definition and resolution to the image. The second image almost looks monotone. This is due to a large dust storm raging on the surface of Mars at the time the image was taken. The opaqueness caused by the dust storm accounts for the monotonicity of the second image.

Experiment Four

            The highest features on Mars appear to be four individual volcanoes all within relatively close proximity of one another. The most notable difference between the Northern and Southern hemisphere is that the Northern hemisphere contains the lowlands with few craters, while the Southern hemisphere contains the highlands with a majority of the planets craters. The largest impact crater lies in the Southern hemisphere. It is Hellas Crater, with a diameter of nearly 2300 kilometers. Viking I and II, Pathfinder, Spirit, Opportunity, and Mars 3 spacecraft all landed on and analyzed the surface of Mars in some aspect. Viking I and II, Pathfinder, and Mars 3 all landed relatively near to each other in the Northern hemisphere between the border of the highlands and lowlands on a relatively flat surface that has minimal cratering. Curiosity and Spirit landed further southeast on more elevated and cratered terrain than the aforementioned spacecraft and rovers. Each spacecraft’s mission was different, but all centered around the examination of the surface features of Mars, whether that being craters, lowlands, highlands, volcanoes, valleys, or just geological surveys.

Elevation map of Mars with landing sites of spacecraft

Experiment Five

            Spirit landed near Gusev Crater because it was a large flat crater at moderate elevation with a river bed nearby to the South as well as more craters to the Southeast. Opportunity landed near Meridiani Terra because it is also flat land at a moderate elevation. There are multiple craters as well as a river bed to the west, and also a higher elevation to the Southeast. When the landing sites were viewed in infrared instead of visible light, more craters were visible, as well as the surface features around the landing sites became more detailed. In the case of Niger Valles, following elevation from higher to lower, it appears to have been an ancient river carved out by water erosion. Water flows from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, and Niger Valles’ erosion looks comparable to that of dry river beds on Earth.

Spirit and Opportunity landing sites

Experiment Six

            If I were to plan the next mission to Mars, I would be going to the Northern hemisphere, and find proof of either water based erosion, or possible evidence of water still existing as a liquid on the surface. Also, a chemical composition test of the polar ice caps would be a secondary goal of a rover mission, to know the exact composition of what is in the polar ice caps. Knowing exactly what is trapped in the ice can give a look back into Mars not so distant past as an active planet.

           

Conclusion

            The objective of this lab and report was to gain a better understanding of the surface features of Mars. This was achieved through visible, infrared, and elevation maps, as well as globes of the surface of Mars. Mars has exaggerated surface features, due to less gravity on the planet. Mars contains the largest volcano and deepest canyon in the solar system. Mars was still active until a few hundred million years ago to possible a billion years ago. Un-maned expeditions to Mars have been made, yielding a better understanding on the surface of Mars, as well as its composition, both atmospherically as well as geologically.