Shimmering in the days of confrontation ominous blood-red and the caller primitive mystical fear enigmatic and mysterious star that the ancient Romans named in honor of the war god Mars (Ares by the Greeks), is unlikely to be a woman's name stuck.The Greeks also called it Phaeton for "radiant and shining" appearance, which Mars is obliged to bright color and "lunar" relief volcanic craters, dents from impacts of giant meteorites, valleys and deserts.
Orbital characteristics
eccentricity of the elliptical orbit of Mars is 0.0934, causing thus the maximum difference (249 million km) and minimum (207 million km) distance from the sun, which is why the amount of incoming solar energy on the planetIt varies in the range of 20-30%.
orbital velocity averaging 24.13 km / s.Mars is completely encircles the Sun for 686.98 Earth days, which exceeds the Earth's period twice, and turns around its own axis is almost the same as the Earth (24 hours 37 minutes).The angle of inclination of the orbit to the ecliptic plane is determined according to various estimates from 1,51 ° to 1,85 °, and the inclination of the orbit to the equator is 1,093 °.Sun relative to the equator of Mars's orbit is tilted at an angle of 5,65 ° (and the Earth - about 7 °).Significant inclination of the equator of the planet to the orbital plane (25,2 °) leads to significant seasonal variations in climate.
physical parameters of the planet Mars
among the planets of the solar system size is in seventh place, and by distance from the Sun ranks fourth.The volume of the planet is 1.638 × 1011 cu km, and the weight of 0,105-0,108 Earth's mass (6.44 * 1023 kg), giving her a density of about 30% (3.95 g / cm3).Acceleration of gravity in the equator of Mars is determined in the range of 3.711 to 3.76 m / s².The surface area is estimated at 144 800 000 km².Atmospheric pressure varies between 0.7-0.9 kPa.The rate necessary to overcome gravity (the escape) - 5072 m / s.In the southern hemisphere the surface of Mars at an average level of 3-4 km higher than in the north.
Climatic conditions
total mass of the Martian atmosphere is about 2.5 * 1016 kg, but within a year it varies greatly due to melting or "interpreted as freezing" containing carbon dioxide polar caps.The mean pressure at the level of the surface (about 6.1 mbar) at almost 160 times less than that near the surface of our planet, but in deep basins reaches 10 mbar.According to various sources, the seasonal differential pressure range from 4.0 to 10 mbar.
at 95.32% Martian atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide, about 4% accounted for argon and nitrogen, and oxygen together with water vapor is less than 0.2%.
Silnorazrezhennaya atmosphere can not long retain heat.Despite the "hot colors", which stands out among the other planet Mars, the surface temperature drops in winter to -160 ° C at the North Pole and the equator in the summer, daytime surface can warm up only to + 30 ° C.
climate is seasonal, as on Earth, but the elongation of the orbit of Mars leads to significant differences in the duration and temperature conditions of the seasons.Cool spring and summer of the Northern Hemisphere in the last set of substantially more than half a Martian year (371 Mars. Per day), with the fall and winter is short and mild.Southern summer is hot and short, and winter is cold and long.
Seasonal climate change most clearly manifested in the behavior of polar ice caps composed of ice with a touch of fine, dust-like particles of rock.The front of the north polar cap can be removed from the pole by almost a third the distance from the equator, and the boundary of the southern cap reaches half that distance.
thermometer located precisely in the focus of reflecting telescope aimed at Mars, the temperature on the planet's surface was determined at the beginning of the 20s of the last century.The first measurements (up to 1924) showed values of -13 to -28 ° C, and in 1976 the lower and upper temperature limits have been specified landed on Mars spacecraft "Viking".
Martian dust storms
"Exposing" dust storms, their size and behavior helped uncover the mystery that has long kept Mars.The surface of the planet mysteriously changes color, from ancient times bewitching observers.The reason "hameleonstva" were dust storms.
Sudden temperature changes of the Red Planet can become a cause of rampant violent winds speed up to 100 m / s and low gravity, despite the thin air allows the winds to raise the huge masses of dust to a height of more than 10 km.
The emergence of dust storms also contributes to a sharp increase in atmospheric pressure caused by the evaporation of frozen carbon dioxide winter polar caps.
dust storms, as shown by the pictures of the Martian surface, the space tend to be the polar caps, and can cover a huge area, lasting up to 100 days.
Another dusty attractions that Mars is obliged to abnormal temperature changes are tornadoes which, unlike Earth, "colleagues", walk around, not only in the desert areas but also hosted on the slopes of the craters of volcanoes and impact craters, realizing up to 8 km.They should be turned giant eloquently banded patterns that have long remained mysterious.
Dust storms and tornadoes occur mostly during the great struggles when in the southern hemisphere summer accounts for the period of Mars through the nearest point to the Sun, the planet's orbit (the perihelion).
very fruitful on tornadoes appeared images of the Martian surface taken spacecraft Mars Global Surveyor , which is orbiting the planet since 1997.
Some tornadoes leave traces, sweeping or sucking the loose surface layer of fine soil particles, while others do not leave even a "fingerprint", and others, raging, draw intricate shapes, for which they have named dust devils.Vortices work usually alone, but also on the group "view" is not discarded.
Features relief
Probably everyone who, armed with a powerful telescope for the first time looked at Mars, the planet's surface once recalled lunar landscape, and in many areas it is true, but nevertheless peculiar Martian geomorphology and unique.
Regional features of the relief of the planet caused by the asymmetry of its surface.Prevailing flat surface of the northern hemisphere below zero conditional 2-3 km, and in the southern hemisphere complicated craters, valleys, canyons, valleys and hills on the surface of 3-4 km above the baseline.The transition zone between the two hemispheres of the width of 100-500 km morphologically eroded giant shoulder height of almost 2 km, covering almost 2/3 of the circumference of the planet, and traceability system faults.
predominant forms of relief, characterize the Martian surface, dotted with craters represented different origins, hills and valleys, shock structures of circular depressions (multi-ring basins), linearly elongated hills (ridges) steep slopes and hollows of irregular shape.
widespread uplift flat-topped with steep edges (mesas), extensive flat craters (shield volcanoes) with eroded slopes and valleys with meandering tributaries and sleeves lined Upland (plateau) region and randomly interspersed canyon valleys (maze).
Representative for Mars are failing and depression with a chaotic and formless relief, long, difficult stage built (discharges), a series of sub-parallel ridges and furrows, and the vast plains quite "earthly" appearance.
Ring crater pools and large (more than 15 km in diameter) crater morphological structures are crucial for most of the southern hemisphere.
highest regions of the planet with the names of the Tharsis and Elysium are in the northern hemisphere and are huge volcanic highlands.Tharsis plateau, overlooking the surrounding plains nearly 6 km, stretches along the longitude of 4000 km and 3000 km stretches in latitude.On the plateau there are 4 giant volcano a height of 6.8 km (Mountain Alba) to 21.2 km (Olympia, 540 km diameter).The tops of mountains (volcanoes) Peacock / Pavonis (Pavonis), Askriyskaya (Ascraeus) and Arsiya (Arsia) are located at a height of 14, 18 and 19 km respectively.Mount Alba stands to the northwest from the strict number of other volcanoes and a volcanic panel board structure with a diameter of about 1500 km.The volcano Olympus (Olympus) - the highest mountain not only on Mars, but throughout the solar system.
from East and West to the Tharsis province adjacent two broad meridional depression.Mark the surface with the name of the western plains of the Amazon close to the zero level of the planet, and the lowest portions of the eastern depression (plain Chryse) below zero for 2-3 km.
in the equatorial region of Mars is located the second largest volcanic Elysium plateau of about 1500 km in diameter.Plateau uplift a broad base of 4-5 km and carries a three volcanoes (proper mountain Eliza Dome and Mount Albore Hecate).The highest mountain Elysium increased to 14 km.
To the east of the plateau Tharsis in the equatorial region stretching a giant scale Mars (almost 5 km) riftoobraznaya system of valleys (canyons) Mariner, exceeding the length of one of the largest on Earth Grand Canyon almost 10 times and 7 times wider anddeeper.The width of the valley averages 100 km and almost vertical ledges their sides reach a height of 2 km.Linear structures indicates their tectonic origin.
Within the hills of the southern hemisphere, where the surface of Mars just dotted with craters, located the biggest impact on the planet circular depression with names Argir (about 1500 km) and Hellas (2,300 kilometers).
Hellas Planitia deepest hollows of the planet (almost 7,000 meters below the average), and the excess of the plain Argir in relation to the level of the surrounding hills is 5.2 km away.Similar rounded lowland plain of Isis (1100 km in diameter), located in the equatorial region of the eastern hemisphere of the planet and in the north of the plain adjacent to the Elysium.
Mars is known about 40 multi-ring basins similar, but smaller size.
in the northern hemisphere is the largest planet in the lowland (northern plains), bordering the polar region.Marks plains are below the zero level surface.
Aeolian landscapes
It would be difficult in a few words to describe the earth's surface, meaning the planet as a whole, but to get an idea of what the surface of Mars, you can, if you just call her lifeless and dry, reddish-brown, stony and sandy desert because dissected topography of the planet is flattened loose alluvial deposits.
Aeolian landscapes composed of sand and dust tonkoalevritovym material and formed as a result of wind activity, cover almost the entire planet.It is usual (on the ground) dunes (transverse, longitudinal and diagonal) ranging in size from a few hundred meters to 10 km, as well as layered aeolian-glacial deposits of the polar caps.Of particular relief, "created Eolom", timed to the closed structure - the bottoms of large canyons and craters.
Morphological wind activity, which determines the peculiar features of the Martian surface, manifested in intense erosion (deflation), which led to the formation of characteristic, "engraved" with cellular surfaces and linear structures.
Layered aeolian-glacial formation, composed of mixed precipitation with ice-covered polar caps of the planet.Their capacity is estimated at a few km.
Geological characteristics of the surface
According to one of the current hypotheses of contemporary composition and geology of Mars, first from the primary substance of the planet's inner core to melt small, consisting mainly of iron, nickel and sulfur.Then, around the nucleus formed homogeneous composition lithosphere capacity together with the bark of about 1000 km, which is likely, and today continues to volcanic activity on the surface with the release of new batches of magma.The thickness of the Martian crust is estimated at 50-100 km.
Since people began to look at the brightest stars, scientists, as well as all the neighbors are not indifferent to the universal people, among other mysteries, especially interested in what the surface of Mars.
Almost the entire planet is covered with a layer of brownish-yellowish-red dust with a mixture of tonkoalevritovogo and sandy material.The main components of loose soil are silicates with a large admixture of iron oxides, which give the surface a reddish tint.
According to numerous studies performed spacecraft vibrations of the elemental composition of the surface layer of loose sediments of the planet are not so significant as to suggest a wide variety of mineral composition of rocks composing the Martian crust.
installed in the soil medium silicon content (21%), iron (12.7%), magnesium (5%), calcium (4%), alumina (3%), sulfur (3.1%) and potassiumand chlorine (& lt; 1%) pointed out that the basis of unconsolidated sediments comprise the surface debris and volcanic igneous basic rocks, basalts are close to the ground.At first, scientists have questioned the significant differentiation stone shell mineral composition of the planet, however, carried out in the framework of Mars Exploration Rover (USA) studies the bedrock of Mars led to a sensational discovery of terrestrial analogues of andesites (average species composition).
This discovery later confirmed by numerous finds of similar species, allowed to judge that Mars, like Earth, may have a differentiated crust, as evidenced by significant content of aluminum, silicon and potassium.
On the basis of a huge number of pictures taken by spacecraft and allowed to judge what is in the surface of Mars, apart from igneous and volcanic rocks on the planet is obviously the presence of volcanogenic-sedimentary rocks and sediments that are recognized by the characteristic platy separately and layering pieces exposures.
nature of the stratification of rocks may indicate their formation in seas and lakes.Areas of sediment recorded in many parts of the planet, and most often they are found in vast craters.
scientists do not rule out "dry" sludge formation of Martian dust with their further lithification (petrifaction).
Permafrost education
special place in the morphology of the surface of Mars occupied by permafrost formation, most of which emerged at various stages of the geological history of the planet as a result of tectonic movements and the influence of exogenous factors.
By studying a large number of satellite images, scientists unanimously concluded that in shaping the Martian volcanic activity along with a significant role to play water.Volcanic eruptions led to the melting of the ice cover, which, in turn, serve the development of water erosion, traces of which can be seen today.
That permafrost on Mars formed at the earliest stages of the geological history of the planet, according to not only the polar ice caps, but also specific forms of relief, similar to the landscape in areas of permafrost on Earth.
swirls education, what is the look on satellite images layered deposits in the polar regions of the planet, near constitute a system of terraces, ledges and depressions, forming a variety of forms.
deposits polar caps power a few kilometers consist of layers of carbon dioxide and water ice mixed with silt and tonkoalevritovym material.
with the process of destruction of the cryogenic strata-bound provalno subsidence landforms typical of the equatorial zone of Mars.
Water on Mars
In most of the Martian surface water can exist in liquid form due to the low pressure, but in some parts of the total area of about 30% of the planet, NASA experts admit the existence of liquid water.
reliably established the current supply of water on the Red Planet are mainly concentrated in the surface layer of the permafrost (the cryosphere) power to many hundreds of meters.
