Red Planet Still Packs Surprises

ScienceNOW Daily News ^ | 20 December 2007 | Phil Berardelli

[neverdem]

ping

[Young Werther]

And a closer look reveals:

[RightWhale]

There’s another thread on this same feature.

[Perchant]

A buildup of carbon dioxide in the ancient martian atmosphere supposedly produced enough of a greenhouse effect to allow liquid water to flow for a time on the surface. The problem is that such a process should have deposited ample carbon-containing minerals on the planet's surface--something that hasn't been found.

They tell us that the martian atmosphere is all CO2 but now they say they can't find carbon on the surface? Where does the CO2 come from and where does it go? If martian volcanoes are belching CO2, why aren't they spewing carbon-containing minerals?

Now they have a theory that SO2 is responsible for past global warming on Mars. NASA's settled science has assured us that SO2 is a cooling forcer. I guess we'll have to give the kooks a few billion dollars to redo their science.

[RightWhale]

They tell us that the martian atmosphere is all CO2

Mars lost most of its atmosphere. It could easily hold a much denser atmosphere than it has. Was it all CO2? Not likely.

[Jaysun]

I think we should consider Mars an enemy planet.

[Perchant]

Mars lost most of its atmosphere. It could easily hold a much denser atmosphere than it has. Was it all CO2? Not likely.

That's a red planet herring. If that denser atmosphere was due to SO2, Mars should have been colder.

[RightWhale]

Since it’s gone we can only speculate. We can’t even speculate, since you need some evidence before speculation.

[UCANSEE2]

“That’s a red planet herring. If that denser atmosphere was due to SO2, Mars should have been colder.”

Maybe Mars came out of a LITTLE ICE AGE of it’s own, for the same reason the Earth, and Venus, and some other planets have.

[mikrofon]

I notice you could have a prime view of the Full Moon occultation today:

http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/planets/1224mars.htm

[Perchant]

Since it’s gone we can only speculate. We can’t even speculate, since you need some evidence before speculation.

I don't know if you read the article or not but some Harvard scientist is suggesting that SO2 may have warmed early Mars. That would go against the settled science which says SO2 is a cooling forcer. It's as problematic as a contention stating "CO2 may have cooled Mars".

Google search: SO2 global cooling, and you can learn about the scientific consensus that SO2 is the cause of global cooling on Earth.

[KevinDavis]

[wastedyears]

LOL

[stevem]

They tell me the women on Barsoom will cause a man to thank the Lord for the night time.

[webheart]

Even though orbiters have eyed it from space and landers have rumbled across its surface, Mars still has more secrets to reveal.

What a stupid statement. A couple of orbiters and some very limited rovers are sure gonna reveal all of the secrets of Mars. For crying out loud, humans have been on Earth for millions of years and have barely scratched the surface.

[RightWhale]

The moon is up 24 hours today. But cloud cover blocks the most interesting events, such as this one.

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

‘Active glacier found’ on Mars
BBC | Wednesday, 19 December 2007, 15:29 GMT | Paul Rincon Science reporter, BBC News
Posted on 12/19/2007 12:28:58 PM EST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1941793/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1941793/posts?page=16#16

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=mars

[RandallFlagg]

Well, of course it's got suprises. For example...

Autobots.