ASTRON C12 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Noachian, Outflow Channels, Atmospheric Pressure
Document Summary
Atmospheres: mars, earth: provide conditions for life, support/contain hydrosphere (water, protection and respiration, evolved since planet formation, same basic processes on all planets. Mars (from telescopes on earth: orange-red: iron oxide (rust, polar caps, atmosphere, storms, spectroscopy, atmosphere: co2, polar caps: h2o & co2. Molecules in the earth"s atmosphere: 78% nitrogen (n2, 21% oxygen (o2, produced by plants during photosynthesis, necessary for breathing by animals, arrived 3. 5 billion years ago: algae and bacteria. 04% carbon dioxide (co2: ~ 1% argon (ar, other molecules: water vapor, carbon monoxide, neon, oxides of nitrogen, methane, krypton, *concentrations are a few parts per million (ppm) Earth v. mars: mars has higher co2, less h2o. Topography: no evidence for plate tectonics, mars is a 1-plate planet. What features stand out: difference in elevation and age between northern and southern hemisphere (dichotomy, large, young volcanoes, large rift valleys (valleys marineris, water related features: channels and ice sheets.
