mercury venus mars
Post on 04-Jul-2015
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What creates a planetary magnetic field?
1. Metallic material in the core
2. (a) Fluid Motion of the core
OR
(b) Rapidly Rotating planet
What benefit is a magnetic field?- Protects the planet from atmosphere stripping solar winds.
Mercury-Roman god of Travel
Mercury - Basic InformationNo Atmosphere
Very Weak Magnetic Field (1% of Earth’s)
Rotates 3 times for every 2 revolutions
Temperature variations: Shadow: -300F Sunlight: 800F
Highly Elliptical Orbit 29 million miles to 43 million miles
Mercury TransitThe planet passes in front of the Sun.
ME-S-S-EN-GE-RMercury Surface Space Environment Geochemistry and Ranging
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Water Ice -Found in Permanent Shadows of craters.
VenusRoman god of Love
Venus - Basic Information
Revolves once every 243 Earth Days
Rotates once every 224 Earth Days
Thick CO2 atmosphere (100 times thicker than Earth’s)
Surface Temperature = 900F
Venus - Basic Information
Runaway Greenhouse Effect
No moons
No magnetic field
No plate tectonics
Venera SpacecraftRussian - First landing on another planet.
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MarsRoman god of War
MarsHalf the size of the Earth
Mars - basic info
Atmosphere 1% as thick as Earth
Mostly CO2
Temperatures can range from
-200 F up to 70 F
No magnetic field
Mars Exploration-1970’s: Viking Landers -1980’s: Numerous failed missions -1996: Pathfinder Rover -2004: Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit & Opportunity) -2008: Mars Phoenix Lander -2012: Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity)
Anatomy of a Mars LandingCompare three different approaches
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Water in Mars’ past?
CONFIRMED
MarsSubsurface salty water may still exist on Mars
Mars’ Methane Enigma
Mars has 2 small moons:
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