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Mars from Hubble Space Telescope October 28, 2005 with sandstorm visible.
Carbon dioxide 95. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single 32%
Nitrogen 2. Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 7%
Argon 1. This article pertains to the chemical element For other uses see Argon (disambiguation. 6%
Oxygen 0. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the 13%
Carbon monoxide 0. Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO is a colorless odorless tasteless yet highly toxic Gas. 07%
Water vapor 0. General properties of water vapor Evaporation/sublimation Whenever a water molecule leaves a surface it is said to have evaporated 03%
Nitric oxide 0. Nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide is a Chemical compound with Chemical formula N[[Oxygen O]] 013%
Neon 2. Neon (ˈniːɒn is the Chemical element that has the symbol Ne and Atomic number 10 5 ppm
Krypton 300 ppb
Formaldehyde 130 ppb [1]
Xenon 80 ppb
Ozone 30 ppb
Methane 10. "Parts-per" notation is used especially in Science and Engineering, to denote Ratios (relative proportions in measured quantities particularly Krypton (ˈkrɪptən or /ˈkrɪptɒn/ from kryptos "hidden" is a Chemical element with the symbol Kr and Atomic number 36 "Parts-per" notation is used especially in Science and Engineering, to denote Ratios (relative proportions in measured quantities particularly Formaldehyde is a Chemical compound with the formula H2CO It is the simplest Aldehyde —an organic compound containing a terminal Carbonyl Xenon (ˈzɛnɒn or) is a Chemical element represented by the symbol Xe. OZONE is an object oriented Operating system written in the C programming language. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. 5 ppb

Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has a very different atmosphere from that of Earth. A planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU is a celestial body Orbiting a Star or stellar remnant that is The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. An atmosphere (from Greek ατμός - atmos, " Vapor " + σφαίρα - sphaira, " Sphere " Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five There has been much interest[1][2] in studying its composition since the recent detection of a small amount of methane,[3] which may signal life on Mars. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Scientists have long speculated about the possibility of life on Mars owing to the planet's proximity and similarity to Earth.

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. Olympus Mons ( Latin for "Mount Olympus" is the highest known Volcano and Mountain in the Solar System. 155 kPa) in the depths of Hellas Planitia, with a mean surface level pressure of 600 Pa (0. False color of Hellas Planitiajpeg|thumb|220px|This elevation map shows the surrounding elevated debris ring]] Hellas Planitia, also known as the Hellas Impact Basin 6 kPa), compared to Earth's 101. 3 kPa. However, the scale height of the atmosphere is about 11 km, somewhat higher than Earth's 6 km. A scale height is a term often used in scientific contexts for a distance over which a quantity decreases by a factor of e. The atmosphere on Mars consists of 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 6% argon, and contains traces of oxygen, water, and methane. This article pertains to the chemical element For other uses see Argon (disambiguation. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. The atmosphere is quite dusty, giving the Martian sky a tawny color when seen from the surface; data from the Mars Exploration Rovers indicates the suspended dust particles are roughly 1. NASA 's Mars Exploration Rover ( MER) Mission is an ongoing robotic mission of exploring Mars, that began in 2003 with the sending of 5 micrometres across. A micrometre ( American spelling: micrometer; symbol µm) is one millionth of a Metre, or equivalently one thousandth of a Millimetre [4]

Contents

Structure

Mars' atmosphere is composed of the following major divisions:

Composition

Mars' thin atmosphere, visible on the horizon in this low orbit image.
Mars' thin atmosphere, visible on the horizon in this low orbit image.

Carbon dioxide

The main component of the atmosphere of Mars is carbon dioxide (CO2). During the Martian winter the poles are in continual darkness and the surface gets so cold that as much as 25% of the atmospheric CO2 condenses at the polar caps into solid CO2 ice (dry ice). Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Dry ice is solid Carbon dioxide. It is commonly used as a versatile cooling agent When the poles are again exposed to sunlight during the Martian summer, the CO2 ice sublimes back into the atmosphere. Sublimation of an element or compound is a transition from the Solid to Gas phase with no intermediate liquid stage This process leads to a significant annual variation in the atmospheric pressure and atmospheric composition around the Martian poles.

Argon

The atmosphere of Mars is considerably enriched with the noble gas argon in comparison to that atmosphere of the other planets within the solar system. History Noble gas is translated from the German noun de ''Edelgas'' first used in 1898 by Hugo Erdmann to indicate their extremely low level of reactivity This article pertains to the chemical element For other uses see Argon (disambiguation. The Solar System consists of the Sun and those celestial objects bound to it by Gravity. Unlike carbon dioxide, the argon content of the atmosphere does not condense, and hence the total amount of argon in the Mars atmosphere is constant. However, the relative concentration at any given location can change as carbon dioxide moves in and out of the atmosphere. Recent satellite data shows an increase in atmospheric argon over the southern pole in autumn, which dissipates the following spring. [5]

Water

Other aspects of the Martian atmosphere vary significantly. As carbon dioxide sublimes back into the atmosphere during the martian summer, enormous winds sweep off the poles at speeds approaching 250 mph (400 km/h). These seasonal actions transport large amounts of dust and water vapor giving rise to Earth-like frost and large cirrus clouds. Frost is the solid deposition of Water vapor from saturated air Cirrus clouds are characterized by thin wisplike strands often accompanied by tufts leading to their common (non-standard name of 'mare's tail' These clouds of water-ice were photographed by the Opportunity rover in 2004. MER-B ( Mars Exploration Rover - B) known as Opportunity, is the second of the two rovers of NASA 's Mars Exploration [6]

Methane

Trace amounts of methane, at the level of several parts per billion, were first reported in Mars' atmosphere by a team at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in 2003. [3][7] In March 2004 the Mars Express Orbiter[8] and ground based observations from Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope[9] also suggested the presence of methane in the Martian atmosphere, with a concentration of about 10 ppb by volume. March 2004: January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September Mars Express is a Space exploration mission being conducted by the European Space Agency (ESA The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope is located near the mountain top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii at an altitude of 4204 meters (13793 feet Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. "Parts-per" notation is used especially in Science and Engineering, to denote Ratios (relative proportions in measured quantities particularly [10] The presence of methane on Mars is very intriguing, since as an unstable gas it indicates that there must be (or have been within the last few hundred years) a source of the gas on the planet. This page is about the physical properties of gas as a state of matter It is estimated that Mars must produce 150 ton/year of methane. [11] Volcanic activity, comet impacts, and the existence of life in the form of microorganisms such as methanogens are among possible but as yet unproven sources. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the A comet is a small Solar System body that orbits the Sun and when close enough to the Sun exhibits a visible coma (atmosphere or a tail — A microorganism (also spelled micro organism or micro-organism and also called a microbe) is an Organism that is Microscopic (usually Methanogens are Archaea that produce Methane as a Metabolic byproduct in Anoxic conditions The methane appears to occur in patches, which suggests that it is being rapidly broken down before it has time to become uniformly distributed in the atmosphere, and so it is presumably also continually being released to the atmosphere. Plans are now being made to look for other companion gases that may suggest which sources are most likely; in the Earth's oceans biological methane production tends to be accompanied by ethane, while volcanic methane is accompanied by sulfur dioxide. ETHANE is a mnemonic indicating a protocol used by Emergency services to report situations which they may be faced with especially as it relates to major incidents where

It was also recently shown that methane could be produced by a non-biological process involving water, carbon dioxide, and the mineral olivine, which is known to be common on Mars. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific The Mineral olivine (when gem-quality also called Peridot) is a Magnesium Iron silicate with the formula ( Mg [12] The required conditions for this reaction (i. e. temperature and pressure) do not exist on the surface, but likely exist within the crust. To prove this process is occurring, serpentine, a mineral by-product of the process would be detected. The serpentine group describes a group of common rock-forming hydrous Magnesium Iron phyllosilicate (()3 Minerals they

The ESA found that the concentrations of methane in the martian atmosphere was not even, but rather that it coincided with the presence of water vapor. In the upper atmosphere these two gasses are uniformly distributed, but near the surface they concentrate in three equatorial regions, namely Arabia Terra, Elysium Planitia, and Arcadia Memnonia. Arabia Terra is a large upland region in the north of Mars. It is densely cratered and heavily eroded Elysium Planitia is the second largest volcanic region on Mars, after Tharsis Montes. Memnonia quadrangle is a region of Mars that covers latitude -30° to 0° and longitude 135° to 180° Planetary scientist David H. Grinspoon (Southwest Research Institute) feels that the coincidence of water vapor and methane increases the chance of a biological source, but cautions that it is uncertain how life could have survived so long on a planet as inhospitable as Mars. [7] Ultimately, to prove an organic nature for the methane, a future probe or lander hosting a mass spectrometer will be needed, since the isotopic proportions of C12 to C14 can clearly distinguish between an inorganic and an organic (biologic, e. Traditionally inorganic compounds are considered to be of mineral not biological origin Organic matter (or organic material) is Matter that has come from a once-living Organism; is capable of g. bacterial decay) origin of the methane. [13]

Potential for utilization by humans

Main article: In-Situ Resource Utilization

The atmosphere of Mars is a resource of known composition which is available at any landing site on Mars. In Space exploration, In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU describes the proposed use of resources found or manufactured on other planetary bodies (the Moon Mars etc For this reason, it has been proposed that human exploration of Mars could use carbon dioxide from Martian atmosphere as feedstock to manufacture rocket fuel to use for the return mission. A human mission to visit and land on the planet Mars has long been a subject for Science fiction writers and a dream of Space exploration advocates Rocket propellant is mass that is stored usually in some form of Propellant tank prior to being used as the propulsive mass that is ejected from a rocket engine in the form Mission studies which propose using the atmosphere in this way include the Mars Direct proposal of Robert Zubrin and the NASA Design reference mission study. Mars Direct is a proposal for a relatively low-cost manned mission to Mars with current rocket technology Robert Zubrin (born 19 April 1952) is an American Aerospace engineer and Author, best known for his Advocacy of manned Mars The term Design Reference Mission 30 refers to a NASA study on a human exploration architecture for Mars Two major chemical pathways for utilization of the carbon dioxide are the Sabatier reaction, converting atmospheric carbon dioxide along with additional hydrogen to produce methane and oxygen, and electrolysis, using a zirconia solid oxide electrolyte to split the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon monoxide. The Sabatier reaction or Sabatier process involves the reaction of Hydrogen with Carbon dioxide at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of In chemistry and manufacturing electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an Electric current Zirconia redirects here For the Sailor Moon character see Dead Moon Circus.

However, if humans are to colonize Mars in the future, they would likely need as many greenhouse gases as they can get in order to maintain a warm climate. Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared So using the Martian atmosphere as a consumable resource with no intentions of replenishing it may be considered dubious. (see terraforming mars)

References

  1. ^ Life on Mars? - Geological and biological processes observed on Earth provide hunky-dory explanations for methane on Mars, Martin Baucom, American Scientist, March-April 2006. The terraforming of Mars is the hypothetical process by which the climate, surface and known properties of Mars would be deliberately changed with the goal of making
  2. ^ Interplanetary Whodunit - Methane on Mars, David Tenenbaum, Astrobiology Magazine, NASA, 20 Jul 2005. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program (Note: part one of a four-part series. )
  3. ^ a b Mumma, M. J. ; Novak, R. E. ; DiSanti, M. A. ; Bonev, B. P. , "A Sensitive Search for Methane on Mars" (abstract only). American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #35, #14. 18.
  4. ^ Lemmon et al., "Atmospheric Imaging Results from the Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity"
  5. ^ Francois Forgot. Alien Weather at the Poles of Mars. Science. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor
  6. ^ Clouds - Dec. 13, 2004 NASA Press release. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program URL accessed March 17, 2006.
  7. ^ a b Michael J. Mumma. Mars Methane Boosts Chances for Life. Skytonight. com. Retrieved on 2007-02-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
  8. ^ V. Formisano, S. Atreya T. Encrenaz, N. Ignatiev, M. Giuranna (2004). "Detection of Methane in the Atmosphere of Mars". Science 306 (5702): 1758–1761. doi:10.1126/science.1101732. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  9. ^ V. A. Krasnopolskya, J. P. Maillard, T. C. Owen (2004). "Detection of methane in the martian atmosphere: evidence for life?". Icarus 172 (2): 537–547. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.07.004. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  10. ^ ESA Press release. The European Space Agency ( ESA) established in 1975 is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 17 member Mars Express confirms methane in the Martian atmosphere. ESA. The European Space Agency ( ESA) established in 1975 is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 17 member Retrieved on 2006-03-17. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger
  11. ^ Planetary Fourier Spectrometer website (ESA, Mars Express)
  12. ^ Oze, C. , M. Sharma (2005). "Have olivine, will gas: Serpentinization and the abiogenic production of methane on Mars". Geophys. Res. Lett. 32: L10203. doi:10.1029/2005GL022691. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  13. ^ Remote Sensing Tutorial, Section 19-13a - Missions to Mars during the Third Millennium, Nicholas M. Short, Sr. , et al. , NASA

See also

External links

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