Mars dry ice deposit could cause thicker, dustier atmosphere
Posted: Fri, Apr 22, 2011, 7:24 AM ET (1124 GMT)
A buried deposit of dry ice near Mars's south pole suggests to scientists that the planet's atmosphere may vary significantly as its tilt changes. In a paper published in the journal Science this week, planetary scientists reported the discovery of a reservoir of frozen carbon dioxide with about the same volume of Lake Superior near the planet's south pole; that deposit is about 30 times the size of the known cap of dry ice at the pole. Scientists believe that, as the planet's tilt changes over time, that dry ice can sublimate and increase the planet's atmospheric pressure by 75 percent, causing stronger dust storms and expanding the areas of the planet's surface that could support liquid water. Scientists identified the carbon dioxide deposit in data from a radar instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.
A buried deposit of dry ice near Mars's south pole suggests to scientists that the planet's atmosphere may vary significantly as its tilt changes. In a paper published in the journal Science this week, planetary scientists reported the discovery of a reservoir of frozen carbon dioxide with about the same volume of Lake Superior near the planet's south pole; that deposit is about 30 times the size of the known cap of dry ice at the pole. Scientists believe that, as the planet's tilt changes over time, that dry ice can sublimate and increase the planet's atmospheric pressure by 75 percent, causing stronger dust storms and expanding the areas of the planet's surface that could support liquid water. Scientists identified the carbon dioxide deposit in data from a radar instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
New Virgin Galactic spaceplane arrives at Spaceport America
Posted: Sat, Oct 31 10:38 AM ET (1438 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, November 5
Billionaire Mittal’s Satellite Ambition Pitches OneWeb Against Musk’s Starlink
Bloomberg News — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) Finland is building its own space command
Defence24 — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) Space Force chief: Intelligence officials ‘making sure we get lessons learned’ from recent Russian satellite maneuvers near commercial sat
Defensescoop — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) Voyager hires former Space Force Gen. Saltzman
Colorado Springs Gazette — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) Space Force Chief Eyes Growth in Components to Meet Operational Demand
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 6:31 am ET (1131 GMT) |
