フェニックス着陸地でのH2O
P H Smith1, L K Tamppari, R E Arvidson
1Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. psmith@lpl.arizona.edu
まとめ
フェニックスミッションは,火星の浅い氷とアルカリ性土壌を発見した. これは,水が存在していたことを示しており,過去または現在の火星の居住可能性の可能性を支持しています.
科学分野:
- 惑星科学は惑星科学である.
- 天体生物学 アストロバイオロジー
- 火星地質学 火星地質学 火星地質学
背景:
- フェニックスミッションは,火星の北極の地質学と天候を研究することを目的とした.
- 過去のミッションでは,火星の水氷の存在が示唆されていたが,直接的な浅い地表調査が必要だった.
研究 の 目的:
- 火星の北極地域における地形と天候のパターンを調査するためです.
- 浅い地表の氷と土壌の組成と状態を決定する.
主な方法:
- ロボットアームによる火星の土壌の掘削.
- 鉱物や塩を含む土壌の組成の分析.
- 表面の凍結と降雪パターンの観測.
主要な成果:
- 浅い氷床が5〜18cmの深さで発見されました.
- 火星の土壌はアルカリ性 (pH 7.7) で,炭酸カルシウムやその他の鉱物を含んでいた.
- 水氷の凍結と降雪が土壌と相互作用していることが観察されました.
結論:
- 浅い氷とアルカリ性土壌の存在は,過去の水活動を示しています.
- これらの発見は,火星の北極に居住可能性の可能性を裏付けている.
- 水氷と土壌の相互作用は,火星の環境プロセスを理解するために重要です.
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