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The Terrestrial Planets

The Terrestrial Planets. Terrestrial Planet Surfaces. How do they compare to one another?. Earth. most active geology volcanoes & tectonics moderate atmosphere N 2 O 2 H 2 O H 2 O exists in liquid state rampant erosion few craters life. Venus.

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The Terrestrial Planets

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  1. The Terrestrial Planets

  2. Terrestrial Planet Surfaces How do they compare to one another?

  3. Earth • most active geology • volcanoes & tectonics • moderate atmosphere • N2 O2 H2O • H2O exists in liquid state • rampant erosion • few craters • life

  4. Venus • Has a thick, cloudy atmosphere -- you can not visually see the surface • we must image the surface using radar • smooth plains with few mountain ranges • few craters • many volcanoes and domes of lava (corona) • Venus is very active with tectonics & volcanism

  5. Venus Searing heat, heavy pressure, clouds of sulfuric acid, frequent volcanic eruptions; as Carl Sagan said: Venus is the planet most like hell.

  6. Impact craters are evenly spread over Venusian surface. implies that the planet’s entire surface is the same age crater counting suggests an age of 1 billion years old Volcanism “paved over” the surface 1 billion years ago. Volcanism & Tectonics on Venus

  7. Volcanism & Tectonics on Venus • The corona is a tectonic feature. • rising plume in mantle pushes crust up • cause circular stretch marks • Plume forces magma to the surface. • volcanoes are found nearby

  8. Mars • mountains & canyons • volcanoes • thin atmosphere (CO2) • no plate tectonics ---volcanoes are higher • evidence for water erosion • Mars has a rotation period & axis tilt almostidentical to Earth’s • this implies that Mars has seasons • look at the ice caps (CO2 & H2O)

  9. Mars • Olympus Mons • the largest volcano in our Solar System • it is located atop the Tharsis Bulge along with several other volcanoes

  10. Four images of Mars in one Martian DaySummer in North, Winter in South N S

  11. Evidence for Water

  12. Spirit peeks over a ridge in Columbia Hills

  13. Rovers on Mars

  14. Dust Devils

  15. evidence for (frozen) water within 1 meter under the surface • this underground water is found all over the planet

  16. Recent Water on Mars? • Liquid water could exist temporarily with today’s temperatures and air pressures…in a flash flood! • Underground water seeps out to form erosion gullies • at their size, sandstorms would cover them in few million yrs

  17. Seeps

  18. Ice in Crater

  19. Frozen Ice Floes?

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