Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun distance, has long been an object of attention of the world of science.This planet is very similar to Earth for one, small but fatal exception - the Martian atmosphere is less than one per cent of the Earth's atmosphere.The gaseous envelope of any planet is a determining factor in shaping its appearance and surface conditions.It is known that all the solid worlds of the solar system formed approximately the same conditions at a distance of 240 million. Kilometers from the sun.If the conditions for the formation of the Earth and Mars were similar, then why now these planets are so different?
It's all about size - Mars formed from the same material as the Earth was once liquid and hot metallic core, as well as our planet.Proof - a lot of extinct volcanoes on the Martian surface.But the "red planet" is much smaller than Earth.So, and it cooled down quickly.When the liquid core cooled and solidified completely, completed the process of convection, and with it disappeared, and the magnetic shield of the planet - the magnetosphere.The result is that the planet was left defenseless against the destructive power of the sun and the atmosphere of Mars was almost completely carried away by the solar wind (a stream of giant radioactive ionized particles)."Red Planet" has become a lifeless desert sad ...
Now the atmosphere on Mars is a thin shell of gas discharged are not able to withstand penetration deadly solar radiation, which burns the surface of the planet.Thermal relaxation of Mars by several orders of magnitude smaller than that of, for example, Venus, whose atmosphere is much denser.The atmosphere of Mars, which has too low heat capacity, forms a more pronounced daily mean wind speed indicators.
composition of the Martian atmosphere is characterized by a very high content of carbon dioxide (95%).Also, the atmosphere contains nitrogen (about 2.7%), argon (about 1.6%) and a small amount of oxygen (less than 0.13%).The atmospheric pressure of Mars is 160 times higher than the surface of the planet.Unlike the Earth's atmosphere is the gaseous envelope has a pronounced changing nature due to the fact that the planet's polar caps, containing a large amount of carbon dioxide freezes and melts during one annual cycle.
According to data obtained from the research spacecraft «Mars Express», the atmosphere of Mars contains a certain amount of methane.The peculiarity of this gas is its rapid degradation.This means that somewhere in the world should be a source of replenishment of methane.The options here can be only two - either geological activity, traces of which are not found, or the activity of microorganisms that is able to turn our understanding of the presence of pockets of life in the solar system.
characteristic effect of the Martian atmosphere are dust storms that might rage for months.This dense air blanket the planet is composed primarily of carbon dioxide with minor inclusions of oxygen and water vapor.This effect is caused by prolonged very low gravity of Mars, which allows even the super-rarefied atmosphere from the surface to lift and hold for a long time, billions of tons of dust.
