Slashdot Mirror
Mars Lander Sees Falling Snow
Riding with Robots writes "NASA reports that the Phoenix Mars Lander has detected snow falling from Martian clouds. According to the Canadian team running a weather experiment, a laser instrument designed to study how the atmosphere and surface interact on Mars has detected snow from clouds about 4 kilometers above the landing site. Data shows the snow vaporizing before reaching the surface, but one of the mission scientists said, 'We'll be looking for signs that the snow may even reach the ground.' Spacecraft soil experiments have also provided evidence of past interaction between minerals and liquid water."
Mars having 1/3 the gravity has more to do with its thin atmosphere than any lack of magnetic field. Having no magnetic field would remove protection from solar wind and radiation, making it unable to support life as we know it, but wouldn't actually affect how thick an atmosphere the planet could retain.
Mars has a magnetic field, btw. It's Venus that doesn't.
If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
bleh... that'll teach me to post when awake... Mars has no magnetic field, Venus has a very very weak one.
If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
there is snow outside? Man i got to get out mo.... waaaait *looks out window* there no snow. Theres not even snow up in frigging lakehead. And thats in moose land.
Without a strong magnetic field, the solar wind will strip away the atmosphere over time. Lighter elements especially, will be stripped away rapidly.
NASA seems to think that over 1/3 of Mars atmosphere was stripped away by solar winds over the years.
Also, Venus is experiencing the same.
Checking webcams... there's not even snow in Whitehorse yet. That guy must be a tourist. Don't tell him about the corners where it doesn't even snow most years.