Atmosphere of Mars
hideMars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has a very different atmosphere than that of the Earth. There has been much interest in studying its composition since the recent detection of a small amount of methane, which may signal life on Mars; it could also be a geochemical process or the result of volcanic or hydrothermal activity.
The atmosphere of Mars is relatively thin, and the atmospheric pressure on the surface varies from around 30 Pa (0.03 kPa) on Olympus Mons's peak to over 1155 Pa (1.155 kPa) in the depths of Hellas Planitia, with a mean surface level pressure of 600 Pa (0.6 kPa, or 6 millibars, or 0.087 psi), compared to Earth's 101.3 kPa, and a total mass of 25 teratonnes, compared to Earth's 5148 teratonnes. However, the scale height of the atmosphere is about 11 km, somewhat higher than Earth's 7 km. The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, and 1.6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane, for a mean molecular weight of 43.34 g/mole. The atmosphere is quite dusty, giving the Martian sky a tawny color when seen from the surface; data from the Mars Exploration Rovers indicate that the suspended dust particles are roughly 1.5 micrometres across.
For more information about Atmosphere of Mars, read the full article at
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News tagged with martian atmosphere
Distal Rampart of Crater in Chryse Planitia
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Nov 13, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Impact craters on Mars are kind of neat. Many of them look very different than impact craters seen on Earth's moon or Mercury. Fresh lunar and Mercurian craters have ejecta blankets that look ...
Telltale tells story of winds at Phoenix landing site
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Sep 16, 2009 |
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Wind speeds and directions were measured for the first time in the Mars polar region using the Phoenix lander’s Telltale instrument. Astronomers recorded Easterly winds of approximately 15-20 kilometres per ...
Mars, methane and mysteries
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Aug 10, 2009 |
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Mars may not be as dormant as scientists once thought. The 2004 discovery of methane means that either there is life on Mars, or that volcanic activity continues to generate heat below the martian surface. ...
Heat Shield Readied for Next Mars Rover
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jul 10, 2009 |
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Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, has finished building and testing the heat shield for protecting the Curiosity rover of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory project. This heat shield is even larger than the ...
Mars Spacecraft Teams on Alert for Dust-Storm Season
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Apr 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Heading into a period of the Martian year prone to major dust storms, the team operating NASA's twin Mars rovers is taking advantage of eye-in-the-sky weather reports.
Features of early Martian environment and presence of water drive search for life forms
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Apr 16, 2009 |
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New Rochelle, April 16, 2009-Solar energy and winds, collisions with asteroids and comets, and changing magnetic fields have all altered the environment of Mars, a planet that may have been able to support ...
Martian Methane Reveals the Red Planet is not a Dead Planet
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jan 15, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Mars today is a world of cold and lonely deserts, apparently without life of any kind, at least on the surface. Worse still, it looks like Mars has been cold and dry for billions of years, ...
