AeroField — Mars Observatory

MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE

Upper Atmosphere 100 – 200 km

Middle Atmosphere 40 – 100 km

Lower Atmosphere 0 – 40 km

Composition 95.97% CO₂ · 0.636 kPa

SURFACE FEATURES

Olympus Mons 21.9 km · Shield Volcano

Valles Marineris 4,000 km · Canyon System

Hellas Planitia 2,300 km · Impact Basin

Tharsis Bulge Volcanic Province · 25% surface

Polar Ice Caps H₂O + CO₂ Ice

MARTIAN MOONS

I · Phobos 22.2 km · 9,377 km orbit Period: 7.66 h · Fear & Panic

II · Deimos 12.6 km · 23,460 km orbit Period: 30.31 h · Terror & Dread

Both discovered 1877 by Asaph Hall. Named after sons of Ares (Greek god of war). Phobos rises in west, sets in east — may form ring in ~50 Myr.

INTERNAL STRUCTURE

Solid Inner Core ~613 km radius · Iron-nickel · 2000–2400 K

Liquid Outer Core ~1650–1675 km radius · Molten iron-nickel + S, O, C, H

Basal Liquid Silicate Layer 150–180 km thick · Magma ocean remnant

Lower Mantle Silicate rock · Ductile below 250 km · Heterogeneous

Upper Mantle / Lithosphere Rigid to ~250 km depth · Very thick lithosphere

Crust 42–56 km average · Basalt, feldspar, pyroxene, olivine · Fe₂O₃ surface

MISSIONS TO MARS 50+

FIRST FLYBY 1965 · Mariner 4

FIRST LANDING 1971 · Mars 3

ACTIVE ROVERS Curiosity · Perseverance

DISTANCE 228 M km · 1.52 AU

Mars Observatory

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θ 0° · φ 45°