New Mars Forums

rgcarnes

Banned

From: In the country near Rolla Miss

Registered: 2002-02-04

Posts: 111

Re: Mars environment, w/REFERENCES - Record factual foundational references

First question to be answered, no opinions please, just data.

This is an effort to winnow out 'OLD SCIENTIST'S TALES' (ala 'Old Wife's Tales').  The operative word 'OLD' does not necessarily refer to the age of the propagator. 

In what foundational data, space mission, or remote sensing, etc., did man accumulate enough evidence to determine that the red planet's atmosphere is nearly all CO2 at the planet's surface, and what are the references for it?

---

Rex G. Carnes

If the Meek Inherit the Earth, Where Do All the Bold Go?

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: Mars environment, w/REFERENCES - Record factual foundational references

I believe it was spectural at first (point a spectrometer at Mars and you can get a good atmospheric composition). I can't recall that far back, though (this would fall into astro-science, maybe Cindy would know this one better). Oh, if that doesn't count, I believe the Mariners had their own spectrometers, and if they didn't, the Vikings had atmospheric chemical tests. This was around '76 or so.

Of course... you didn't ask for my opinion, just data, but I couldn't find anything concrete about it and I've already typed this far. So Nyah.

---

Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

RobertDyck

Moderator

From: Winnipeg, Canada

Registered: 2002-08-20

Posts: 7,800

Website

Re: Mars environment, w/REFERENCES - Record factual foundational references

I believe Mariner 6 provided the first detailed information about the atmosphere of Mars.

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Mars environment, w/REFERENCES - Record factual foundational references

Josh:  "I believe it was spectural at first (point a spectrometer at Mars and you can get a good atmospheric composition). I can't recall that far back, though (this would fall into astro-science, maybe Cindy would know this one better)."

*Ay!  Wow, Josh -- thanks for the vote of confidence...but I'm sorry, I don't know the answer to this one. 

Josh:  "Of course... you didn't ask for my opinion, just data, but I couldn't find anything concrete about it and I've already typed this far. So Nyah."

*Giggle. 

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

rgcarnes

Banned

From: In the country near Rolla Miss

Registered: 2002-02-04

Posts: 111

Re: Mars environment, w/REFERENCES - Record factual foundational references

Thanks Folks,

Good information.  I will look in that direction and try to bring back key details to this location. 

Anyone else? 

Next questions will involve surface temperature measurements and surface wind velocity, but lets solidify the atmospheric composition first.  Josh, I'd say you were giving leads, not opinions.  Thanks again.

---

Rex G. Carnes

If the Meek Inherit the Earth, Where Do All the Bold Go?

Josh Cryer

Moderator

Registered: 2001-09-29

Posts: 3,830

Re: Mars environment, w/REFERENCES - Record factual foundational references

Ahh, yes, Robert, you can't do a good spectural analysis of Mars' atmosphere since its orbit is ouside that of Earth. With Venus, all we had to do was point a good spectrometer at the atmosphere as the sun shown through the atmosphere, and volia. Not possible with Mars.

rgcarnes, it's almost certain, then, that is as Mariner 6. I knew one of the Mariners had such equipment on board. I'm sorry that I can't find anything exact for you, though.

Your next question will undoubtedly involve the Vikings. God, those things were awesome.

---

Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.