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jmwan

InActive

Registered: 2007-02-09

Posts: 2

Re: Mars surface temps in the past

Hello everyone,
I wanted to know if anyone could tell me where I can find surface temperatures for Mars during past epochs (any epoch will do except current conditions)?

thanks,
JM

Tholzel

Banned

From: Boston

Registered: 2004-03-20

Posts: 56

Re: Mars surface temps in the past

<<I wanted to know if anyone could tell me where I can find surface temperatures for Mars during past epochs (any epoch will do except current conditions)? >>

I doubt this is known, although it could be found out by drilling into ice at the poles--the same way they do here on earth.  However, the sun was about 25% cooler millions of years ago--at the time Mars might have had liquid water on its surface. So the likelihood is that it is warmer now than it ever was.  That does not bode well for ever having had a lot of liquid water.

m1omg

Banned

From: Q Continuum

Registered: 2007-07-03

Posts: 70

Re: Mars surface temps in the past

<<I wanted to know if anyone could tell me where I can find surface temperatures for Mars during past epochs (any epoch will do except current conditions)? >>

I doubt this is known, although it could be found out by drilling into ice at the poles--the same way they do here on earth.  However, the sun was about 25% cooler millions of years ago--at the time Mars might have had liquid water on its surface. So the likelihood is that it is warmer now than it ever was.  That does not bode well for ever having had a lot of liquid water.

A salty sea will stay liquid.
Also, the greenhouse effect is more important than insolation.
And Mars had large oceans - proven; read;
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0 … ceans.html