Exam 2 Results Before Spring Break Today`s Class
3/30/2015 Today’s Class: Robotic Exploration of Mars Exam 2 Results March 30, 2015 Homework: 1. Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars 2. Meet at Fiske on Wednesday! • Mean = 83% • Median = 85% Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Before Spring Break Clicker Question: What is the longest lasting internal heat source responsible for geological activity on terrestrial planets? • Overview of Solar System • Tour through the Solar System – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Nepture, dwarf planets. • How do robotic spacecraft work? – – – – Flybys Orbiters Landers Sample Return a) Accretion b) Radioactive decay c) Sunlight d) Cosmic rays • Fiske Planetarium show on Earth as a planet. Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Clicker Question: What is the longest lasting internal heat source responsible for geological activity on terrestrial planets? Today’s Class a) Accretion b) Radioactive decay c) Sunlight d) Cosmic rays • NASA’s Goals for understanding Mars • Search for Water & Life • The Curiosity Rover – Goals – The Gale Crater – Results so far With thanks to Professor Brian Hynek for sharing slides! Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration 1 3/30/2015 Goals for NASA & Mars NASA’s goals: • To advance and communicate scientific knowledge and understanding of Earth, the Solar System, and the universe. • To advance human exploration, use, and development of space. • To research, develop, verify, and transfer advanced aeronautics and space technologies Hubble View of Mars Mars-specific top level goals: 1) 2) 3) 4) Determine whether life ever arose on Mars Characterize the climate of Mars Characterize the geology of Mars Prepare for human exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Recent Mars Exploration (1990's-present) NASA’s Exploration Plan: “Follow the Water” • Mars Global Surveyor – arrived in 1997 (lasted 10+ years) – Global imaging, topography, and chemical composition of the surface. • Mars Odyssey – arrived 2001 LIFE – Discovered huge regions of ground ice, interesting minerals • Mars Express (ESA) – arrived 2004 CLIMATE – Chemical/mineralogical spectrometers, imagery. • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter WATER – High-resolution stereo imaging (~20 m), subsurface radar • 2 Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit & Opportunity) – arrived Jan 2004 GEOLOGY – 25 cm resolution imaging, sounding radar • Mars Phoenix Lander (RIP Nov, 2008) Prepare for Human Exploration – Dug down to the ice table at a high latitude site. • Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity) When • Where • Form • – Launched Nov. 26, 2011, arrived Aug 6, 2012 Amount * Blue = ongoing operations Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Case for a Warm and Wet Mars I: Rivers Comparison of Viking and recent data Hynek and Phillips, 2003 • Dense river valley networks observed across the ancient terrains of Mars. • Viking data suggested groundwater formation under cold-dry conditions. • Recent data provide evidence for active, long-lived hydrologic cycle. 10 km Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Mars river valley Mars river channel from Viking data Mars Global Surveyor data and newly recognized river valleys Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration 2 3/30/2015 Case for a Warm and Wet Mars II: Deltas • Deltas require a standing body of water. Case for a Warm and Wet Mars II: Deltas • 22 of deltas have no local topographic basin and open to the northern plains. • Over 50 known deltas on Mars. • These are all at the same elevation, as are 15 more nearby deltas. • Ages seem to be coeval with valley network formation. • Suggestive of a northern ocean on ancient Mars. 10 km Di Achille and Hynek, 2010 Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Mars 3.7 billion years ago? 2011 Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity Launch: Nov. 26, 2011 on an Atlas V rocket Land: Aug. 6, 2012 Two Earth years of planned operations while traveling at least 20 km. Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration video 2011 Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Video A most capable robotic geologist! Launch: Nov. 26, 2011 on an Atlas V rocket Land: Aug. 6, 2012 Two Earth years of planned operations while traveling at least 20 km. Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration 3 3/30/2015 Why Gale Crater? “Sedimentary layers are deposited in a time sequence, with the oldest on the bottom and the youngest on the top.” -Nicholas Steno, 17th century 150-km diameter crater 5o S, 222.5 o W “The processes operating today are the same as those in the past.” -James Hutton, 18th century Example: The Grand Canyon • 40 distinct rock layers are exposed, spanning 2 billion years of geologic history! • Walking from the Colorado River up to the rim, one can study what the local environment was like for nearly half of the history of the Earth! The Grand Canyon More than 5 km of strata are preserved in the central mound Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Gale Crater • High diversity of geologic layers with different compositions and depositional conditions • Stratigraphy records multiple early Mars environments in sequential order • The findings at Gale Crater will provide insights into global Martian processes: climate and atmosphere, geologic processes and the role of water. Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Gale Crater provides: 1) A long history of deposition by numerous processes. 2) A significant history of water in the crater. 3) A variable chemistry and mineralogy. Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Curiosity’s Selfie NASA/JPLCaltech/MSSS Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration 4 3/30/2015 NASA/JPLCaltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/IAS/L PGN 6.4 cm deep NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS NASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Bouic Arm deployed at John Klein Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Sand dunes are also hazardous Curiosity’s 1.6-cm drill bit, drill and test holes, and scoop full of acquired sample Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration To Date, Curiosity has: • Survived on Mars for over 2 Earth years (all systems operational!) • Driven > 40 kilometers. • Characterized stream systems in an alluvial fan. • Studied mudstones leftover from an ancient lake. • Given the materials in this stone, we can infer that the lake was long-lived and of near-neutral pH. • Curiosity has clearly demonstrated that Gale crater was a habitable environment! Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration Astronomy 2020 – Space Astronomy & Exploration The best is yet to come! 5
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