Monthly Archives: July 2012

“Olympic” ocean in Tharsis?

Posted on July 30, 2012 by rburnham

Two features of Olympus Mons have puzzled geologists since they were discovered decades ago. First are the “aureole” deposits, rough terrain extending as much as 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the volcano. And second is the scarp, about 8,000 meters … Continue reading →

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Making polar spiders in the lab

Posted on July 19, 2012 by rburnham

The formation of “spiders” during Martian south polar spring is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena on the Red Planet. Briefly, what happens is that every winter carbon dioxide ice forms a translucent layer above the sandy ground. Then … Continue reading →

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Duck & cover: good advice for Mars organics

Posted on July 18, 2012 by rburnham

Everyone knows Mars has a terrible environment: temperatures are bitter cold most of the time, there’s almost no air pressure, and solar ultraviolet light scours the surface unhindered. Actually, it’s even worse. Alexander Pavlov (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) and … Continue reading →

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Wind triggers activity in north polar dunes

Posted on July 9, 2012 by rburnham

The sand sea surrounding the Martian north pole covers an area about a third the size of Earth’s Arabian Desert and is roughly equal in size to the Kalahari. Dunes are a common feature on Mars, just as in terrestrial … Continue reading →

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