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VIII. Exploring Mars:
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VIII. Exploring Mars:
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The Earthlings among us are familiar with how Earth looks
from space. As a refresher, or for our Martian friends, See Earth
from Space. Two thirds of Earth is water. What would Earth look like without water? (See Earth without Water). ___________________________________________________ How would you describe the continents (green and brown)? High, low, bumpy, flat, etc.? ___________________ The blue and light green colors represent depth below sea level (the darker the color, the deeper the surface is below sea level). Without water what features of the ocean basin would you see? ___________________________________________________ Where are most of the really deep areas of ocean located? ___________________________________________________ Based on the coloration do you think these areas are relatively flat or not? Explain your answer. ___________________________________________________ Now let’s take a look at Mars from MOLA (Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter). Describe the similarities and differences you see between Mars and Earth. ________________________________________________________________________ What do you think the flat blue area on Mars might represent? ____________ |
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Compare the flat area of the Mars MOLA image with the false
color map of Mars. The deep blue area is soil enriched in Hydrogen.
Where is water ice located on Mars? ___________________________________________________ Relate the areas of the MOLA image where hydrogen is in the soil on Mars to the location of the deep blue flat areas of the previous image. ________________________________________________________________________________ |
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Look at the false color image again. The “prime meridian” is the straight line in the center, running from pole to pole; the equator is in the middle. The lines of longitude and latitude are marked every 30 degrees. Opportunity rover landed at approximately 2° S and 5° W. What is the Hydrogen concentration there? ______________________________ |
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Spirit Rover landed at approximately 15° S and 175° E. What is the Hydrogen concentration there? ______________________________ |
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Why might NASA have wanted the Rovers to land in the craters there? ________________________________________________________________________________ |
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So what does this Hydrogen map mean? Let’s look at the
NASA
article about it. How much water ice may exist on Mars? ______________________________  This is
pretty exciting! Scientists have some other bits of evidence that suggests
Mars was once a water planet. Put on your detective hat and let’s start
looking at the clues. |
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Watch this movie
showing seasonal changes in the polar ice caps on Mars. How deep is the “ice” at the north pole? ________________ South pole? ________________ Do you remember from a previous lesson why one would be much deeper than the other? Explain why. ________________________________________________________________________________ Carbon Dioxide ice cannot stack up very high. Since the ice at the poles is stacked high, scientists think that the ice is water ice, not Carbon Dioxide ice. |
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Compare this image of
Grand Canyon National Park with this photograph from Holden
Crater on Mars. What similarities do you see? _______________________________________________________________________ What differences? ________________________________________________________________________________ |
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See
Grand Canyon Geology and information about the Kaibab
Limestone. What type of environment created the rocks? ___________________________ How do you know? ___________________________________________________________________ |
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7. Sedimentary rocks include limestone, sandstone and shale.
These rocks usually form layers. Do the layers of rock at Holden Crater look similar? ______________ What type of rock might these be? ____________________________ |
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Look at this photograph of the Thaumasia region on Mars (http://www.msss.com/http/ps/channels/net2.gif
) Describe what you see in the upper left of the image and move lower and to the right (you should see something that has a tree-like pattern on its side).Sketch it below. Now compare this to a river in Iceland (http://www.und.edu/instruct/mineral/101intro/slides/rivers/slide27.htm ) How are these images similar? What inference can you make based on these images? |
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8. Compare this photo of Nirgal
Vallis on Mars with this image of the Colorado
River. How are they similar? __________________________________________________________ How are they different? _________________________________________________________ Measure the length of Nirgal Vallis shown. How long is it in km? __________________ Does the “river” begin on the left or right side of the image? _____________________ (HINT: Rivers get wider as they move downstream.) Look in an atlas and measure the section of the Colorado River shown in the image above. How long is it in km? ___________________ |
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Using the image of Nirgal
Vallis look at the craters. Is Nirgal Vallis older or younger than most of the craters right beside it? ______________ How can you tell? (HINT: Do you see anything that interferes with the smooth, flowing pattern of the Nirgal Vallis?) ____________________________________________________________________________________ |
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Was there ever an ocean on Mars? Go to The
Case of the Missing Mars Water and scroll down to the section on Signs
of Heavy Flooding How much water might have flowed through the channels in the Northern Lowlands? __________________________ What evidence is there for a giant ocean in Mars’ past? ____________________________________________________ If you want to learn more about water on Mars see Mars: Follow the Water and Sedimentary Mars. |
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Could there be water on the surface of Mars for the humans
to use? ___________ What is the evidence? _______________________________________________________ |
| Want to be a Martian Sun-Times reporter? Write a story using the facts you have learned in this lesson. Choose one of the styles of reporting that your teacher gave you. Email it to us! |