Tag Archives: Thermal Emission Spectrometer

North polar residual ice cap has recent snow-like surface

Posted on May 24, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Jonathan Bapst and three co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] Thermophysical Properties of the North Polar Residual Cap using Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer • We identify residual water ice … Continue reading →

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North residual polar cap holds both old dense ice and fresh snow

Posted on April 19, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Jonathan Bapst and three co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] Thermophysical Properties of the North Polar Residual Cap using MGS TES • We identify residual water ice with elevated surface porosity … Continue reading →

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Phobos & Deimos likely formed from big impact on Mars

Posted on October 23, 2018 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Timothy Glotch and seven co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] MGS‐TES Spectra Suggest a Basaltic Component in the Regolith of Phobos • Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer spectra of Phobos … Continue reading →

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Mars CO2 ice cap throughout the martian year

Posted on August 9, 2018 by rburnham

This animation shows a side-by-side comparison of CO2 ice at the north (left) and south (right) Martian poles over the course of a typical year (two Earth years). This simulation isn’t based on photos; instead, the data used to create … Continue reading →

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Mars orbiters reveal seasonal dust storm pattern

Posted on June 9, 2016 by rburnham

After decades of research to discern seasonal patterns in Martian dust storms from images showing the dust, but the clearest pattern appears to be captured by measuring the temperature of the Red Planet’s atmosphere. For six recent Martian years, temperature … Continue reading →

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Tallying up where the Martian carbon went

Posted on September 2, 2015 by rburnham

Scientists may be closer to solving the mystery of how Mars changed from a world with surface water billions of years ago to the arid Red Planet of today. A new analysis of the largest known deposit of carbonate minerals … Continue reading →

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Are brines actually needed to make recurring slope lineae flow?

Posted on April 5, 2013 by rburnham

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are finger-like dark lines on steep slopes that appear and grow longer during the warmest time of year, then fade and disappear over winter. They repeat the following Mars year in the same places. While scientists … Continue reading →

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Ancient Mars biosphere: deep underground?

Posted on January 22, 2013 by rburnham

Something like half of Earth’s entire biomass lies underground in the form of microorganisms living off geothermal heat and chemicals in the crustal rocks. Could the same hold true for Mars, now or in bygone times? If so, it’s hard … Continue reading →

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