Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
2
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-10-22
pubmed:abstractText
As the planet's principal cold traps, the martian polar regions have accumulated extensive mantles of ice and dust that cover individual areas of approximately 10(6) km2 and total as much as 3-4 km thick. From the scarcity of superposed craters on their surface, these layered deposits are thought to be comparatively young--preserving a record of the seasonal and climatic cycling of atmospheric CO2, H2O, and dust over the past approximately 10(5)-10(8) years. For this reason, the martian polar deposits may serve as a Rosetta Stone for understanding the geologic and climatic history of the planet--documenting variations in insolation (due to quasiperiodic oscillations in the planet's obliquity and orbital elements), volatile mass balance, atmospheric composition, dust storm activity, volcanic eruptions, large impacts, catastrophic floods, solar luminosity, supernovae, and perhaps even a record of microbial life. Beyond their scientific value, the polar regions may soon prove important for another reason--providing a valuable and accessible reservoir of water to support the long-term human exploration of Mars. In this paper we assess the current state of Mars polar research, identify the key questions that motivate the exploration of the polar regions, discuss the extent to which current missions will address these questions, and speculate about what additional capabilities and investigations may be required to address the issues that remain outstanding.
pubmed:keyword
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
S
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
0019-1035
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
144
pubmed:owner
NASA
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
210-42
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
The state and future of Mars polar science and exploration.
pubmed:affiliation
Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas 77058, USA. clifford@lpl.jsc.nasa.gov
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Review