Lesson 11 - Mars & the Jovian Planets

What are the two most eccentric planets in the Solar System?

Mercury and Mars

How close can Mars get to Earth, and how often does this occur?

As close as 0.37 AU, once every 60,000 years

What are the polar ice caps on Mars primarily made of?

CO2 ice (dry ice)

What is the largest Volcano on Mars?

Olympus Mons.

What geological features are found in the Tharsis bulge?

Many volcanoes and deep canyons, such as the Valles Marineris

What is the Valles Marineris and how was it created?

It is a deep canyon crossing 1/5 of the planet, created by heat conduction forces rather than tectonic activity

How is the atmosphere like on Mars?

Mostly CO2, thin atmosphere due to its low pressure

Is there a magnetic field on Mars?

No

How many moons does Mars have?

Two, Phobos and Deimos

What is the fate of Mars's moon Phobos?

It orbits closer than Deimos and will crash into Mars in 40 million years

Which 4 missions went to Mars?

Viking 1 and Viking 2 (1970), Pathfinder and Sojourner (1997), Spirit and Opportunity (2004), and Curiosity (2012)

What are Jovian atmospheres mostly made up of?

Hydrogen and Helium

Do Jovian planets produce more or less radiation than they receive from the Sun?

More radiation

What happens as you go down Jupiter's atmosphere?

Pressure and density increase, forming metallic hydrogen

What generates Jupiter's enormous magnetic field?

Metallic hydrogen and its rapid rotation

What is Jupiter's central core composed of?

A mix of hydrogen compounds, rocks, and metals under extreme pressure

What types of clouds are found in Jupiter's atmosphere?

Water clouds, sulfate clouds, and ammonia clouds

What creates Jupiter's colorful appearance?

Alternating zones and belts of cloud layers

What are Zones on Jupiter?

Bright strips of rising ammonia gases forming high clouds

What are Belts on Jupiter?

Darker strips of falling clouds which contain no ammonia, allowing observers to see the darker ammonium hydrosulfide clouds underneath

What is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter?

A long-lived high-pressure storm wider than two Earth diameters

How does Saturn's atmosphere compare to Jupiter's?

Similar but with lower temperatures and thicker clouds, creating a hazy yellow color

Why are Uranus and Neptune blue?

High amounts of methane forming ice flakes in the clouds

Why are seasonal variations on Uranus and Neptune not as great?

Because the temperature is controlled by internal radiation

Which Jovian planet has the largest magnetic field?

Jupiter, due its large amounts of metallic hydrogen

What generates the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune?

Their cores, as they have no metallic hydrogen layers