Mars may be undergoing climate change
Posted: Sat, Dec 8, 2001, 9:30 AM ET (1430 GMT)
The planet Mars may warm significantly in the coming centuries, scientists studying data from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft reported this week. Images of the south polar ice cap of Mars taken by MGS show that pits there have grown considerably in just a few years, evidence that the carbon dioxide ice there is sublimating into gas. Over time, this process could increase the pressure of the atmosphere to one-tenth that of Earth's and warm it as well, perhaps to the point where people may one day be able to walk on the surface with just "an oxygen mask and a heavy coat", according to one researcher. Such climate changes in the past may have also allowed liquid water to exist on the surface. The research was published in the current issue of the journal Science.
The planet Mars may warm significantly in the coming centuries, scientists studying data from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft reported this week. Images of the south polar ice cap of Mars taken by MGS show that pits there have grown considerably in just a few years, evidence that the carbon dioxide ice there is sublimating into gas. Over time, this process could increase the pressure of the atmosphere to one-tenth that of Earth's and warm it as well, perhaps to the point where people may one day be able to walk on the surface with just "an oxygen mask and a heavy coat", according to one researcher. Such climate changes in the past may have also allowed liquid water to exist on the surface. The research was published in the current issue of the journal Science.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, September 5
Gilat Announces $100 Million Five-Year Convertible Notes at 60% Conversion Premium
Gilat Satellite Networks — 11:15 am ET (1515 GMT) 6U-Class Earth Observation Satellite ONGLAISAT, Co-Developed by ArkEdge Space, Wins Small Satellite Mission of the Year Award –First mission involving a Japanese company and university to receive the award–
ArkEdge Space — 11:15 am ET (1515 GMT) Datacentrex Invests $30 Million in Eagle LNG Partners, a Supplier of Fuel for the U.S. Space Launch Industry
Datacentrex — 11:14 am ET (1514 GMT) HawkEye 360 Confirms Early Lock-up Release for September 2nd; Preliminary Inclusion in Russell 2000
HawkEye 360 — 11:13 am ET (1513 GMT) America’s AI Lead Won’t Win The Next Space Race
Forbes.com — 11:11 am ET (1511 GMT) |
