Mars Chapter 8 in Life in the Universe a Geller View for HNRS 228 FALL 2011What I’ll Talk AboutSlide 3The High HopesFrom Schiaparelli…To Percival LowellLowell’s Observations and ExplanationMore Historical BackgroundMariner 4, 6 and 7Mariner 4 PhotographsMariners 6 and 7iClicker QuestionA Time to Fail and SucceedMariner’s AtmosphereSlide 15Mariner 9 PhotographsA Prelude to VikingViking LiftoffViking InstrumentsArrival at MarsAnother Giant Leap for MankindThe Viking LookViking Orbiter PhotographThe Face on MarsThe Face on Mars - CaptionThe Changing FaceViking Lander PhotographReach Out and TouchFirst Results from Soil SampleA Mass DisappointmentLooking for LifePyrolytic Release ExperimentGas Exchange ExperimentLabeled Release ExperimentBiology Experiment ResultsExplaining Biology AwayLevin’s View TodayViking’s View of AtmosphereFirst Mars Weather ReportViking Looks at ClimateViking Climate ConclusionsMore on Atmospheric FindingsA Little PressureMeridional Circulation [Say What?]A Little Mars GeologyMore Beautiful PicturesSummary of Mars Landing SitesSlide 48Slide 49Pathfinder at Ares VallisSojournerMars Global SurveyorSlide 53Odyssey 2001Slide 55Phoenix MissionPhoenix Mission PhasesPhoenix Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL)Phoenix Mission Science InstrumentsPhoenix LanderMars InteriorSlide 62Olympus MonsSlide 64Valles MarinerisHellas BasinTerrain ComparisonThe Tharsis BulgeCanyon Widening EvidenceImpact CratersSlide 71Slide 72Slide 73Slide 74Slide 75Slide 76Slide 77Slide 78Meteorite from MarsStatement from Daniel S. Goldin, NASA AdministratorGoldin Statement (August 6, 1996)Science Paper by McKay et al.Paper by Scott et al.Paper by Scott and BarberA Quick Review of MarsSimplified Conclusions re MarsSlide 87Slide 88Slide 89Slide 90Slide 91Slide 92Slide 93Slide 94Slide 95Slide 961MarsChapter 8 inLife in the Universea Geller ViewforHNRS 228FALL 20112What I’ll Talk About•Some history–a view at the start of the 20th century•Mariners to Mars•Viking Mission–in search of life of Mars•A meteorite–in search of life in a rock•Some latest views from Mars•Conclusions–keeping it simple34The High Hopes•“The planet Mars, on the other hand, exhibits in the clearest manner the traces of adaptation to the wants of living beings such as we are acquainted with. Processes are at work out yonder in space which appear utterly useless, a real waste of Nature’s energies, unless, like their correlatives on earth, they subserve the wants of organized beings.” [Richard Proctor, 1902]5From Schiaparelli…•As seen by telescopes from Earth–An orange-red orb, with some darker patches and bright polar caps sometimes visible•Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli (1835-1910)–1876 announced discovery of “canali” (channels) on Mars–misreported as canals (artificial) by the press6To Percival Lowell•Percival Lowell (1855-1916)–appointed MIT astronomy professor in 1902–published books•Mars (1895)•Mars and its Canals (1906)•Mars as the Abode of Life (1908)7Lowell’s Observations and Explanation• No canals• human brain tendencies• connect unrelated points together by lines• Recent theory• Lowell’s telescope acted as an ophthalmoscope• caused Lowell to see the reflection of the radial pattern of his own retinal blood vessels8More Historical Background•At the turn of the 20th century:–publication offered a reward for anyone coming forth with proof of life on another planet or anywhere in space EXCEPTING Mars–just about every major observatory had released hand paintings of Mars and some were even releasing photographs as astrophotography was in its infancy•no two drawings could agree on the formations on the planet's surface•they showed a Mars with a varied surface possessing darker and lighter areas, as well as the polar caps9Mariner 4, 6 and 7•Mariner 4–Mars flyby mission–closest approach came on July 15, 1965–pictures from this mission showed no canals and a surface that was disappointingly looking like that of the moon, quite LIFELESS•In 1969 the United States launched Mariner 6 (February) and Mariner 7 (March)•At closest approach (July for Mariner 6 and August for Mariner 7) both craft were at a distance of approximately 3400 kilometers10Mariner 4 Photographs11Mariners 6 and 7•The Mariners (6 & 7) contained:–narrow and wide angle cameras–infra-red radiometer–infra-red spectrometer–ultra-violet spectrometer•Temperature, pressure and atmospheric constituents were analyzed•Pictures were still anything but spectacular12iClicker QuestionMars’ rotation on its axisA is similar in length to a Jupiter day.B is twice as long as a day on Earth.C is similar in length to Earth's day.D is similar in length to a Venus day.E is similar in length to a Mercury day.13A Time to Fail and Succeed•In 1969–two unsuccessful attempts by the Russians•In 1971–both Americans and Russians had unsuccessful missions to Mars–Russian Mars 2 and Mars 3•both equipped with lander modules but neither lander was successful–Americans Mariner 9•reached Mars during a global dust storm–the storm did eventually subside and the mission was enough of a success so as to provide pictures for the choosing of a site for landing the upcoming Viking missions14Mariner’s Atmosphere•First look provided by Mariner spacecraft–Mariner 9 specifically•faced presence of a global dust storm•illustrated the progress of a feature that looked very much like a terrestrial cold front, visible as a bright band extending across many of the images•saw evidence of dust storm associated with strong winds•saw large crater rim produce wave clouds, believed to be composed of water ice (resembling "sonic boom shock wave”) produced by strong low level winds passing over the crater•saw day-to-day variations indicative of day-to-day weather changes and frontal systems15iClicker QuestionSeasons on Mars, like earth are fundamentally caused byA circular orbits.B eccentric orbits.C elliptical orbits.D the distance from the Sun.E the tilt of the rotational axis.16Mariner 9 Photographs17A Prelude to Viking•First approved in December of 1968 for a 1973 launch•Launch date postponed due to Congressional funding cutbacks•Idea was to launch the craft in 1975 for a landing to take place on Independence Day in 1976•Viking 1 was to be launched on August 11, 1975 but was postponed due to a malfunction•While fashioning repairs for the spacecraft, the