In the wake of a flood of new data and images from several exploratory
missions, our fascination with Mars is even more intense than it was a hundred
years ago when Percival Lowell believed he had observed canals constructed
by live Martians. Although these never existed, there is evidence that Mars
once did have rivers of flowing water, shallow lakes, glaciers, active volcanoes
of immense size, and extensive flooding. Unlike now, in the very early days
of the Solar System, Mars may have been host to the development of primitive
life. Mars: the mystery unfolds captures the sense of continuing
excitement about Mars and its history in a clearly written and fully illustrated
account of current understanding of the red planet. Drawing extensively
on
the wealth of research publications in print, it provides the reader with
an accessible treatment to satisfy the appetite for clear scientific explanation
and spectacular images.
This new book builds on the foundation provided by the author’s
well received Mars: the story of the red planet (1992). At that time,
although a large data archive existed and an overall picture of the geological
development of Mars had been painted, mainly on the basis of the Viking
and Mariner 9 missions, large gaps in our knowledge remained; for instance,
relatively little was known of the planet’s volatile history and inventory,
of the short-term changes in climate and weather, and of the possible existence
of large bodies of standing water on its surface; and the discovery of possible
organic remains in meteorites of Martian provenance was completely unanticipated.
Since that time, there has been much new research on the old Mariner 9 and
Viking archives. The large published output from the Mars Surface and Atmosphere
Through Time programme was just one example, which has enhanced our understanding
of Mars’ volatile history and established acknowledgement of the past
existence of palaeolakes and oceans in the northern hemisphere. There have
also been new programmes of Earth-based spectroscopic and infrared measurements,
laboratory experimentation, intensive analysis of Antarctic meteorites and,
very recently, observations from the amazing Hubble space telescope that
have rapidly changed our perception of Mars’ climate and daily weather
patterns, providing valuable information before the more recent arrival
of Mars Pathfinder and Mars Global Surveyor.
Mars Pathfinder was hugely successful, providing an immense amount of visual,
geochemical and physical data concerning the rocks, landscape and weather
at the mouth of the huge Ares Vallis channel system. For the first time
in nearly 30 years, there is new first-hand information about Martian materials.
The first pebbly and stratified rocks were observed, as were andesites,
and styles of rock weathering were analyzed for the first time. As if not
to be upstaged, Mars Global Surveyor surprised us by recording Mars’
very weak magnetic field and subsequently provided the planetary community
with a vast new data archive that offers us more and higher-resolution images
of Mars than we yet have of much of the Earth.
It is these recent missions, as well as the Hubble space telescope, that
have opened the floodgates to new ideas about the red planet. This book
offers a new perspective to make Mars even more exciting than it was, which
is saying something. The fluvial, cratering, volcanic and tectonic development
of Mars are all much better understood now, as are the climate and weather,
the rock chemistry and the nature of the planet’s interior. Accurate
altimetric and physiographic maps are now available and an exciting selection
of the stunning new images is presented.
Interest in the red planet is widespread in the Earth and planetary science
community. Students, amateur astronomers and many Earth and planetary scientists
will welcome Mars: the mystery unfolds as an authoritative, well
written and scientifically satisfying review and synthesis of our understanding
of the Earth’s nearest planetary neighbour.
Preface; Modern water found on Mars?
Dimensions and mass; The Martian seasons; The pattern of discovery; Albedo markings
Mariner 9; Early Russian exploration of Mars; The Viking missions; The Russian Phobos mission; Mars Observer mission; The Mars Pathfinder mission; Mars Global Surveyor; Other missions
The topography of Mars; Physiographic provinces; Thermal inertia mapping measurements; Earth-based and orbiter spectral observations; The Martian surface layer; Hubble space telescope observations; Martian stratigraphy
The composition of the atmosphere; Pressure and temperature variations; Mars Pathfinder data; MGS thermospheric measurements; Winds and atmospheric circulation pattern; Martian winds; Clouds and dust storms; Precessional effects and climatic change; Climate history of Mars
Volatile distribution among the inner planets; Isotopic data relevant to Martian volatiles; Surficial evidence for subsurface volatiles; Palaeolakes and oceans; Ancient glaciers?; Martian volatiles and nature of reservoirs
The cratering record; Martian impact basins; Morphology of impact craters; Crater ejecta morphology; Nature of the ancient cratered crust; Volcanoes of the cratered plateau; Developmental history of the early crust
Noachian and early Hesperian plains; Channels, plains and volcanism; Hesperian flow plains; The Medusae Fossae plains; Tempe Terra plains province; Plains deposits of Hellas; The northern plains
Types of volcanic structure; Controls on volcanic processes on Mars; Highland paterae of the Hellas region; Peneus and Amphitrites paterae; Hadriaca Patera; Tyrrhena Patera; Volcano morphology and early volcanism; Shield volcanoes of Tharsis and Elysium; The central volcanoes of Tharsis; Volcanic shields and lava plains of Elysium; Apollinaris Patera; Central volcanism on Mars; The nature of Martian magmas; Volcanoes, loading and lithospheric stresses
One-plate and multi-plate planets; Distribution of tectonic features on Mars; Coprates Rise and South Tharsis Ridge Belt; The gravity field of Mars; The evolution of Tharsis
Physiography and topography; Form of canyon walls; Wall retreat and landslide deposits; Tributary canyon development; Canyon interior deposits; Volume and thickness of canyon deposits; Layered deposits within peripheral troughs; Origin of the layered interior deposits; Chaotic material; History of the canyon system
Distribution of valley and channel systems; Fluvial activity and Mars’ volatile history; Valley networks; Outflow channels; The Pathfinder landing site (Ares Vallis); Ages of the channels; Terrestrial analogs of outflow channels; Fretted channels
The polar caps and seasonal variations; Physiography of the polar regions; Seasonal behaviour of the polar regions; Wind and dust storms in cap behaviour; Laminated polar deposits; Spectral data for the cap regions; The polar valleys; The circumpolar plains and dunefields; Dunefields and formation of duneforms; Physiography of marginal polar regions
Physiography of the dichotomy boundary; Earlier explanations for the dichotomy; MOLA data and interpretation; Ancient oceans and lakes on Mars?; Shoreline tests along the boundary; The possibility of glaciation
The geoid, figure and gravity of Mars; Internal density profile; Composition of the interior; Global Surveyor magnetic-field measurements
Spectral characteristics and chemistry; Pathfinder soils and fines; Pathfinder rock; SNC meteorites; New data and Martian differentiation
Phobos; Deimos
Early observations; Viking observations; Meteorites and possible Martian life
Wind activity on Mars; Aeolian erosional landforms; Depositional landforms; Pathfinder landing site weather conditions; Plans for the future
Appendix
Model chronology; Astronomical data; Websites about Mars
Bibliography; Index
276×219mm 192pp.
ISBN: 1-903544-02-5 PB £29.95
ISBN-13: 978-1-903544-02-2
Published in 2001
Available in North America from Oxford University Press (HB edition only)
Subject: Earth/planetary science: planetary geology
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