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The surface of Mars seems to be mostly volcanic rocks of the basalt variety. Other volcanic rocks like andesite and tiny amounts of granite have also been found. Some areas seem to have some sedementary rocks.
Jim S
I've just updated my website. There are now dozens and dozens of pictures of Mars that were suggested by amateurs. Some are really great. You probably have not seen any of them. Also after viewing all the hundreds of pictures taken by amateurs I listed the best ones.
There is also a list of about 100 links to information about Mars.
paws.flcc.edu/~secoskjj
Jim
On my website I have included two more pages of pictures of Mars that I took with the MOC of the Mars Global Surveyor. Also, I have added more pictures to check out from the many that were taken by amateurs. Each month when the pictures are released, I go through them and list the ones that are especially neat.
The number released each month depends on the distance to Mars. For a few months about 50 were released when Mars was relatively close. The number will change and sometimes be zero.
Jim Secosky
My guess is that everyone is correct about water on Mars. There must have been great amounts of water to create all the channels that are visible. However, the water may not have been liquid for very long--maybe just weeks to a few decades. The water would quickly form a layer of ice, slowly freeze, then slowly sublime (go directly to a gas). More likely, the ice would have been covered over with dust which would keep the water and ice around much longer. There seems to be much evidence for some of the ice to still be around. A recent article in the journal Science discusses glaciers on some of the volcanoes and in and around Hellas.
Much ice has been discovered poleward of 60 degrees in both hemispheres. Basically, after about a meter, the ground contains mostly ice in those locations. So, if you dug down a meter, a bucket of the dirt at the bottom would be over 50% ice.
The poles both contain about a km or two of ice. That area is about twice the size of AZ.
The minerals examined by the Rovers have been modified by water. But, much of the alteration could have been done from films of water that are only a few molecules thick. The reasoning is that at times the rotational axis of Mars changes. During that time, the water at the poles and in frozen in the ground poleward of 60 degrees melts. Much or most or all of it will turn into a gas, travel to a cold place (near the equator) and condense as frost. Durnng the thousands of years when this is taking place, huge amounts of ice will accumulate in certain areas. At times during the year, it will be warm enough for the water to melt and flow--that is when minerals can change or maybe a dormant life form will grow and reproduce. Of course a large meteorite could strike and melt the ice and form channels in the process. Alternatively, magma may move around and melt the deposits.
This is my understanding of the water question for Mars. In the past year of so a lot of good articles have appeared in journals--especially Nature and Science. On my website, I have about 100 links to information about Mars. In one section, I've listed sources for many articles.
http://paws.flcc.edu/~secoskjj
Isn't it a great time to be alive to learn about Mars.
Jim Secosky
I recently set up a website to display some of the pictures I took of Mars with the Mars Global Surveyor (MSG) through NASA's Public Target Request Site. Included on the site are almost 100 liniks to sites with information about Mars. Some links are to sites like this, many are for maps of Mars, recent news, or lesson plans for teachers. I hope it will be of help to all students be they elementary or graduate level.
The site is on my college web site where I teach judo.
I just joined your fine forum today. Do you all know that we can all use the Mars Global Surveyor to take high resolution pictures of Mars. I've been submitting suggestions to NASA's Public Target Request program for a number of months and have received some great pictures. I sure would like to go there, but taking pictures is the best we can do today. It is so exciting to see new images of Mars.
My new website shows some of my pictures and lists other amateur images to view. Amateurs have taken some breathtaking pictures of features like gullies, channels, mesaes, buttes, volcanic vents, craters, rock strata, etc. Come join the fun. http://paws.flcc.edu/~secoskjj
This is my college website where I teach judo.
We can all do a little to help explore Mars ourselves. NASA has the Public Target Request program for amateurs to suggest sites to image with the high resolution camera (MOC) on the Mars Global Surveyor. I've received hundreds of pictures. Sure, I would rathere be walking around Mars, but right now no one is. This program is a chance to do actual geological exploration. Believe me it is a whole lot of fun. My website contains pieces of some of the pictures that I've received in the past few months. Amateurs have taken some really great pictures--some may be as good as any that NASA scientists have taken.
My website contains lists of neat amateur pictures and links to come to the party and use the Mars satellite.
Hey, did you all know that we can all use the Mars Global Suveyor to explore Mars. Through NASA's Public Target Request Program amateurs can suggest sites to be imaged.
I've been getting back some great pictures. It is a great day when the pictures of the month arrive on my computer. It's like walking through an unexplored forest and finding a treasure around every corner. I've received over 300 pictures so far. On my new website I have displayed parts of some. I also have listed a number of images that are pretty neat. So far, amateurs have produced some great pictures of craters, volcanic vents, channels, mesas, buttes, dark streaks, gullies, etc. I encourage all people who love Mars to join in the fun.
My website also has almost 100 links to information about Mars. Each link is described and organized by groups. It should help everyone from elementary student to graduate student.
My website, called Red Planet Trek, is at my college web site:
paws.flcc.edu/~secoskjj
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