Phoenix science results, Beginning with December 2008 AGU meeting |
Phoenix science results, Beginning with December 2008 AGU meeting |
Dec 15 2008, 09:22 PM
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Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 5172 Joined: 4-August 05 From: Pasadena, CA, USA, Earth Member No.: 454 |
I figured it was time for a new thread, since we finally seem to be getting some science results out of Phoenix. The press release should be out shortly.
First numerical result I've heard was given by Peter Smith at today's press briefing at AGU: TEGA found that the soil is composed of 5% calcium carbonate, which is a significant result. Hopefully more will hit the Web soon -- post here when the links go up! --Emily -------------------- My website - My Patreon - @elakdawalla on Twitter - Please support unmannedspaceflight.com by donating here.
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Mar 19 2009, 10:50 PM
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 14 Joined: 30-May 08 Member No.: 4163 |
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Dec 18 2010, 11:32 PM
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 59 Joined: 12-November 09 Member No.: 5039 |
Temperature range measured during Phoenix mission is -19.6 ... -97.7 C. How these supposedly liquid droplets acquired so much salt to not freeze at such temperatures? Soil doesn't seem to have that much salt there, right? It's about 1% salt, not 100% salt. And even if it would be 100% salt, how salt was supposed to get on the leg, and stay there? Rocket exhaust tend to blast things away, not deposit dirt on things. We have winter now in Northern hemisphere on Earth, and today I have about -10 C where I live. It is balmy by martian standards, yet I definitely see no liquid water anywhere outside - only ice and snow. Phoenix was colder that this, most of the time MUCH colder. I saw such spherical droplets before. I even remember where: in the old fridge of my parents. It was before the era of self-defrosting fridges. They were made of ice, and despite this, they were slowly changing their shapes over days/weeks. My theory: Landing of Phoenix exposed some ice. Also, it was the mid-summer. At this time of year, the near-surface dirt should be releasing water ice adsorbed during a long, dark, *COLD* polar night. So the air is relatively water vapor rich. This water, apparently, was condensing on the legs, and at times (-19.6 C) again sublimating - migrating. |
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