Planet Mars
| Atmospheric Profiles: |
Earth |
Mars |
| Pressure (bars) |
1.013 |
0.007 |
| Carbon Dioxide % |
0.03 |
95.3 |
| Nitrogen % |
77 |
2.7 |
| Argon % |
0.9 |
1.6 |
| Oxygen % |
21 |
0.13 |
| Carbon Monoxide % |
- |
0.07 |
| Water % |
- |
0.03 |
| Planetary Profiles: |
Earth |
Mars |
| Mass (kg) |
6.0 x 1024 |
6.4 x 1023 |
| Diameter (km) |
12756 |
6787 |
| Mean density (g/cm3) |
5.52 |
3.94 |
| Escape velocity (m/sec) |
11200 |
5000 |
| Average distance from Sun (AU) |
1 (150 mill. Km) |
1.52 (228 mill. Km) |
| Rotation period (hours) |
23.93 (day) |
24.62 (sol) |
| Revolution period (days) |
365.26 |
686.98 |
| Mean surface temperature (oC) |
+15 |
(+20) -63 (-140) |
Cf. Mars fact sheet, NASA
Earth and Mars (NASA) |
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One of the most fundamental questions in science is the origin of life. Of all other planets in our solar system Mars is the most earth-like and remains our best chance to find life. This will presumably be microbial life, which is found in even the most extreme environments on Earth.
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The study of Mars requires the full spectrum of investigative techniques known to science.
It is by nature cross-disciplinary and our research team reflects this:
- we include: physics, geology, chemistry and biology institutes.
Such collaboration is vital if we are to answer the questions of our origin and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life.
Riverbed (NASA) |
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Vital to all forms of life on earth is the presence of liquid water. The most recent orbital observations of Mars by the Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey have made astonishing discoveries of vast ancient oceans, riverbeds, lakes and importantly recent flow channels.
In addition huge quantities of subsurface water have been discovered spanning the entire Martian surface. A challenge for simulation experiments is now to find how and where liquid water can be found on Mars.
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Current models of early Mars (3.8 billion years ago) show it to be a warmer, wetter environment than today. They predict a thick atmosphere at that time, temperatures resembled today's Earth and there were oceans of liquid water. Presumably ideal for life.
Loss of a protective magnetic field and calming of volcanic out-gassing left the atmosphere unprotected to the solar wind which stripped it of light gas, leaving an atmosphere rich in oxygen which combined with the surface minerals.
Mars seen from Viking lander (NASA) |
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The surface of Mars today is harsh. Its thin atmosphere (around 7 mbars of mostly CO2) does not hold the heat of the sun and the surface rarely heats above freezing point and plumets to less than -100oC in the polar regions. The surface is similarly unprotected from hard radiation, especially dangerous to organic matter is a high flux of solar ultra-violet radiation.
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NASA's Viking missions, though still under dispute, saw no signs of organic matter on the Martian surface, furthermore they indicated the surface minerals were not only highly oxidised, but also highly oxidising. Organic matter coming into contact with this surface material will 'burn' into CO2, but what mineral is responsible for this and what process oxidised the surface?
The most striking feature about Mars is the fine red dust which covers most of the surface and pervades the atmosphere, sometimes obscuring the planet surface for months at a time. The origin and nature of this dust is rooted in geological history and may be a key to the mysteries of the planet.
Modelling and simulations help to solve these riddles and the wind tunnel facility.