Phoenix science results

JonClarke · Dec 12, 2008

The latest (December 11) issue of Nature has news feature item that gives an interesting behind the scenes look into the Phoenix mission.  I found the following of particular interest. Uniquely challenging aspects – Phoenix was carrying out the most complex experiments since Viking.  Unlike Viking and the MERs Phoenix was also working against the clock, the certain knowledge that the mission would terminate before the end of the year.  This produced management and operational stresses not encountered before.  Phoenix was a high risk mission, run at a very low cost. Technical problems – The cause for the problematic TEG oven doors was a post MPL modification.  This consisted of a thin retractable cover to protect against terrestrial contamination.  This turned out to be slightly too large during tests, and a revised design was sent to the manufacturer (Honeybee Robotics).  For some reason the new covers were made to the old design, not the new one, and this was not discovered until the lander was on Mars. NASA interference – Small missions like Phoenix are run out of the PI’s institution, in this case the Uibersity of Arizona, not by NASA.  But because this was high profile, NASA administration kept a very close eye on proceedings.  The difficulties witrh TEGA were particularly concerning and at the end of June the NASA Mars Exploration program head (Doug McCuistion) stepped in and ordered the Phoenix tam to treat the last TEGA sample as the last and to drop all other efforts to get the elusive ice sample.  This overriding of their autonomy caused some resentment.  In the end it wasted three weeks, as the attempt to get pure ice in was frustrated not only by the baulky doors but the sticky soil.  After three weeks McCuistion relented and let the team get on with the program in their own way, but still three irreplaceable weeks had been lost. Bang for the buck – despite these problems Phoenix offered tremendous bang for the buck.  It tested five samples in TEGA (two more than mission success) and three in MECA WCL (mission success.  It imaged particles 1/100 the size of the previous smallest seen.  More than 25,000 images were collected.  Despite this, the loss of one MEC WCL and three TEGA samples are still mourned, and there are concerns that follow up studies on the data may not be adequately funded. Sticky soil – this was completely unexpected.  None of the previous five sites had sticky soil, at most slightly clumpy. However the stickiness was probably due to the present of perchlorate brine films.  Perchlorate is highly hydroscopic and depresses the meting point to -70 degrees.   It is present in quantities of up to a few percent in all WCL samples. “Barnacles” – one team member (Nilton Renno at University of Michigan) believes that these features on the lander legs were splashes of salty mud kicked up by the retrorockets.  He also believes they grew, merged and moved over time, acting like brine droplets.  This was because the legs were 20 degrees warmer than the surface (as warm as -10), with the perchlorate this would long enough for water to remain liquid (note that brines have lower favour pressures as well, and can persists longer than pure water).  This is hotly debated in the team, a paper will be submitted to JGR, and while some team members are coauthors, some are most emphatically not. Low temperature CO2 signal – all TEGA samples showed a low temperature CO2 release.  The nature of this is not yet known.  It could be a low temperature carbonate breaking down – or it could be organics. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · Dec 12, 2008

Better  still, read the original!http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081210/full/456690a.html?s=news_rss  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

michaelmozina · Dec 12, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I thought I would start this thread to discuss the Phoenix science results.  Firsly because the mission is over and secondly there seem to be a bunch of people out there who seem to thik that Phoenix achieved very little. Posted by jonclarke</DIV>IMO such negative attitudes about that program are based on pure ignorance of the mission objectives, it's goals and it's ultimate achievments.   It was an incredibly sucessful mission.  Thanks for the links to all the various scientific papers.   <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

JonClarke · Dec 16, 2008

Phoenix Site On Mars May Be In Dry Climate Cycle Phase  http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/12_15_pr.php  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · Dec 16, 2008

Phoenix  papers at the American geophysical Union conference  Planetary Society Bloghttp://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001772/  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · Dec 16, 2008

Lander Data Sheds Light on Mars Polar Water http://www.space.com/includes/iab.html?url=/scienceastronomy/081215-agu-phoenix-update.html <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

MeteorWayne · Dec 16, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Lander Data Sheds Light on Mars Polar Water http://www.space.com/includes/iab.html?url=/scienceastronomy/081215-agu-phoenix-update.html Posted by jonclarke</DIV> I see you intend to keep me mighty busy for a few days, jon!

<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

thor06 · Dec 16, 2008

wow!   Great info Jon!  Just wanted to say thank you and, way to go Phoenix! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> www.watchnasatv.com ONE PERCENT FOR NASA! </div>

JonClarke · Dec 16, 2008

I think the reports of water exchange in the SDC story are most exciting.  It would seem that there are not just water molecules being exchanged, but in such quantities to actually form thin films on the grains (doesn't say how thin).  This will have major implications for regolith processes and potential habitability.The possible sniffs if organics, after the results were originally thought to be negative, are even more exciting.Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

3488 · Dec 16, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I see you intend to keep me mighty busy for a few days, jon!

Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV>Certainly here too Wayne. I am sure that this is the first of a great many new things to come from Phoenix.Will be interesting to see if possible as Jon mentioned below to ascertain the thickness of the 'moisture'. Also the results regarding the regolith certainly conforms Mars's wildly changing obliquity.So much will come from this mission, it will blow us all away. Already, much already has. Phoenix may be finished, but is not forgotten. Long live Phoenix.Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I think the reports of water exchange in the SDC story are most exciting.  It would seem that there are not just water molecules being exchanged, but in such quantities to actually form thin films on the grains (doesn't say how thin).  This will have major implications for regolith processes and potential habitability.The possible sniffs if organics, after the results were originally thought to be negative, are even more exciting.Jon Posted by jonclarke</DIV>What do you think Jon? A few molecules thick during Summer? I would imagine with frost forming as Winter advances, then maybe quite considerable amounts. I would expect it to be useful. I suppose it's 'fossil' water though, from the early days, once it's gone, it's gone. That's my take on it anyway. Andrew Brown.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

JonClarke · Dec 17, 2008

Hi AndrewA few molecules would be my guess, but the reports don't stay. I suspect you would need a long more work on both the water deposition and the soil texture to get an approximation of this.I don't think this is fossil water, it is being cycled thorugh the soil on a daily and seasonal basis.Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · Dec 18, 2008

<div class="Section1">The December 15th Nature (page 870) has a letter from Alberto Fairén at NASA Ames.  Following is a summary.Fairén claims that we should not assume that, just because the Phoenix soils were alkaline and contained perchlorates and carbonates, they are different to those found by previous missions.  The reason may lie in the instruments used, rather than in the soils themselves.The author’s own modelling calculations indicate that adding water to the most acidic environments so far encountered on Mars should give a pH of 9.2.  The acidity in the Meridiani sediment is probably due to post depositional processes rather than a primary feature.The perchlorates are consistent with the observations of oxidising species in the soil in the Viking lander data.  Chlorites, chlorates, and perchlorates are all expected to be generated photochemically.The carbonate content is similar to that found globally by MGS  and locally by Spirit at Gusev.  Had the MERs contained similar instruments to Phoenix, similar results might have been obtained.</div> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

3488 · Dec 18, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi AndrewA few molecules would be my guess, but the reports don't stay. I suspect you would need a long more work on both the water deposition and the soil texture to get an approximation of this.I don't think this is fossil water, it is being cycled thorugh the soil on a daily and seasonal basis.Jon Posted by jonclarke</DIV>Thanks Jon.Yes I should have thought. It is certainly water caught in a current hydrological cycle rather than exposed fossil water. It would make more sense, but then recently I have not been too well & have not made much sense lately.Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>The December 15th Nature (page 870) has a letter from Alberto Fairén at NASA Ames.  Follo............. Posted by jonclarke</DIV>Interesting Jon. So perhaps the site chemistry is not so different after all, but the procsses will still be different as is in a polar region. Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

JonClarke · Dec 20, 2008

http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001779/From the diagram it looks as if the water films are indeed only 1-3 molecules thick.  I am not sure if this can be called moisture under these circumstances.  I am not sure how many molecules a water drop has to before liquid properties come into play. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

brellis · Dec 20, 2008

hi gangI like this comment about Peter Smith's presentation from Emily's blog: "Most of Peter's talk was of an overview nature. One of the points that he and other Phoenix scientists made repeatedly is that while the previous Mars landers have gone to Mars with the purpose of studying ancient environments, as preserved in rocks, Phoenix went to Mars to study a modern environment. What they mean by that is they wanted to study the environment as it exists near the poles today, to answer questions about the present behavior of water on Mars. It's a point that they've made before, but it hadn't crystallized in my head until this meeting." Mars is happening today! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better. </div>

exoscientist · Dec 20, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>... “Barnacles” – one team member (Nilton Renno at University of Michigan) believes that these features on the lander legs were splashes of salty mud kicked up by the retrorockets.  He also believes they grew, merged and moved over time, acting like brine droplets.  This was because the legs were 20 degrees warmer than the surface (as warm as -10), with the perchlorate this would long enough for water to remain liquid (note that brines have lower favour pressures as well, and can persists longer than pure water).  This is hotly debated in the team, a paper will be submitted to JGR, and while some team members are coauthors, some are most emphatically not. Low temperature CO2 signal – all TEGA samples showed a low temperature CO2 release.  The nature of this is not yet known.  It could be a low temperature carbonate breaking down – or it could be organics. Posted by jonclarke</DIV>This means they are taking the max surface temperature as -30 C. But this is the same as the max air temperature. However, it has been known since Viking and Pathfinder that the ground temperature can be as much as 20 degrees warmer than the air temperature. The Phoenix TECP probe has the ability to measure actual ground temperatures. The temperature measurements from the TECP have not been reported yet. Bob Clark    <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

3488 · Dec 21, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This means they are taking the max surface temperature as -30 C. But this is the same as the max air temperature. However, it has been known since Viking and Pathfinder that the ground temperature can be as much as 20 degrees warmer than the air temperature.The Phoenix TECP probe has the ability to measure actual ground temperatures. The temperature measurements from the TECP have not been reported yet.Bob Clark   Posted by exoscientist</DIV>Hi Bob,I wonder if the same is true for the Phoenix site in Scandia Colles, Vastitas Borealis?Viking 1 & Mars Pathfinder both landed in the tropics, where the Sun passes directly overhead twice each Martian Year. Phoenix landed so far north, that even on the Martian Northern Summer Solstice, the Sun only reached only about 44 degrees above the southern horizon at noon. Also would not the ice rich regolith just a few CM below the surface regolith act as a major heat sink, (serious thermal inertia to be overcome) keeping the actual surface cold? Just a thought.Hi all, a few more results, from the hugely successful Phoenix Mars Lander.Elevation map of Phoenix Robotic Arm area including polygon boundaries within reach. Martian Obliquity Changes with Phoenix latitude shown. TECP results overnight Sol 70. Schematic of TECP H2O results. Frost in Snow White Trench. Sol 144. Thickening clouds passing over. Sol 132. Andrew Brown.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · Dec 22, 2008

Emily Lakdawalla closing notes on Phoenix from the recent AGU.Andrew Brown.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

JonClarke · Feb 18, 2009

Several sessions at the 40th LPSC will be on the Phoenix mission twenty three abstracts in all.http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2009/pdf/sess101.pdfSmith P. H.  Water at the Phoenix Landing Site  The Phoenix mission found a water ice layer 5 cm beneath a dry soil overburden. The presence of Ca-carbonate and other aqueous minerals suggests that the soil has been modified through the action of liquid water in the recent past. Hudson T. L.  Zent A. Hecht M. H. Wood S. Cobos D. Near-Surface Humidity at the Phoenix Landing Site as Measured by the Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP) Atmospheric humidity data from the Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP) on the Phoenix Mars lander is analyzed. Trends in diurnal and seasonal humidity are presented and hypotheses for the mechanisms controlling near-surface humidity are discussed. Sizemore H. G. Mellon M. T. Searls M. L. Zent A. P. Heet T. L. Arvidson R. E. In Situ Analysis of Ice Table Depth Variability Under a Rock at the Phoenix Landing Site, Mars We examine ice table depth variability under a rock at the Mars Phoenix landing site and compare our observations to predictions from heterogeneous ice-stability simulations. We discuss implications for the current climate and the history of water in the northern plains. Mellon M. T. Arvidson R. E. Malin M. C. Heet T. L. Sizemore H. G. Searls M. L. Lemmon M. T. Keller H. U. Phoenix Science Team Permafrost and Polygons at the Phoenix Landing Site We examine the ground ice and periglacial landforms at the Phoenix landing site and relate observations to the history of the martian climate. Arvidson R. E. Phoenix Science Team Geologic Setting and Surface Properties of the Mars Phoenix Landing Site Analyses of trenches excavated by the Phoenix lander and coordinated orbital observations provide a self-consistent model of grain size distribution and mineralogy of surface deposits, along with the presence of water adsorbed onto surface grains. Blaney D. L.  Archer D. Arvidson R. Cull S. Ellehoj M. Fisher D. Hecht M. Lemmon M. Mellon M. Morris R. Pike T. Smith P. Stoker C. Phoenix Science Team Multi-Spectral Imaging of the Phoenix Landing Site: Characteristics of Surface and Subsurface Ice, Rocks, and Soils The Phoenix landing site had two types of ice soil mixtures with variable purity. No spectral evidence for high concentration perchlorate brines was found from analysis of trench (e.g. no layering) and sublimation lag deposits. Goetz W. Hviid S. F. Keller H. U. Markiewicz W. J. Madsen M. B. Leer K. Drube L. Pike T. W. Hecht M. H. Parrat D. Sykulska H. Vijendran S. Marshall J. Morris R. V. Arvidson R. E. Smith P. H. Microscopic Views of Soil and Dust at the Phoenix Landing Site, and How that Relates to Other Landing Sites Images from the Phoenix Optical Microscope show different types of soil particles. Based on spectral and magnetic data and by comparison with MER, it is inferred which particles are global and which ones are specific to the Phoenix landing sitePoulet F. Langevin Y. Bibring J.-P. Arvidson R. E. Boubin G. Gondet B. Mineralogy of the High Latitudes of Mars Including the Phoenix Landing Site We report the surface distribution of some minerals in the high latitude ( />50° North and South) regions of Mars from the analysis of the OMEGA/MEx observations in the visible and near-infrared wavelength domains (0.4–4 μm).Boynton W. V.  Ming D. W. Sutter B. Arvidson R. E. Hoffman J. Niles P. B. Smith P. Phoenix Science Team Evidence for Calcium Carbonate at the Phoenix Landing Site Using differential scanning calorimetry and mass spectrometry, the TEGA instrument on the Phoenix lander has found evidence for calcium carbonate.Hecht M. H.  Catling D. C. Clark B. C. DeFlores L. Gospodinova K. Kapit J. Kounaves S. P. Ming D. W. Quinn R. C. West S. J. Young S. M. M. Perchlorate in Martian Soil: Evidence and Implications The Phoenix mission found approximately 1% perchlorate salts in the surface soil of Mars. Depending on the cation, properties of these salts may include the capability to form brines at temperatures comparable to the mean martian frostpoint.Holstein-Rathlou C.  Gunnlaugsson H. P. Merrison J. Taylor P. Lange C. Davis J. Lemmon M. Phoenix Science Team Winds at the Mars Phoenix Landing Site The Telltale is a mechanical anemometer mounted atop the meteorological mast on the Mars Phoenix lander. Images taken with the Surface Stereo Imager allow local wind speeds and directions to be quantified and the data is used to study local weather.Whiteway J. * Komguem L. Dickinson C. Cook C. Duck T. Taylor P. Davy R. Seabrook J. Fisher D. Carswell A. Daly M. Popovici V. Phoenix Science Team Phoenix Lidar Observations of Dust, Clouds, and Precipitation on Mars The Phoenix Mars Lidar instrument observed that atmospheric dust is well mixed up to a height of 4 km. The lidar also observed that water ice clouds form within the PBL each night in late summer and that ice crystals precipitate toward the surface.Tamppari L. K. * Bass D. S. Cantor B. Daubar I. Fisher D . Fujii K. Gunnlaugsson H. P. Hudson T. L. Kass D. Kleinboehl A. Lemmon M. Mellon M. Pankine A. Searls M. Seelos F. Smrekar S. Taylor P. von Holstein-Rathlou C. Whiteway J. Wolff M. Phoenix and MRO Coordinated Atmospheric Science The Phoenix and MRO spacecraft performed coordinated/simultaneous observations of the martian atmosphere to capture seasonal and diurnal variability.http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2009/pdf/sess152.pdfKeller H. U.  El Maarry M. R. Goetz W. Hviid S. F. Markiewicz W. J. Hecht M. Madson M. Mellon M. Ming D. Pike W. T. Smith P. Staufer U. Zent A. Physical Properties of the Icy Soil at the Phoenix Landing Site The physical properties of the icy martian soil documented by the robotic arm camera of the Phoenix lander are discussed. The soil is friable and porous. Its cohesiveness changes when separated from the ground, most probable due to sublimation of its spurious water content. Zent A. P.  Hudson T. L. Hecht M. H. Cobos D. Wood S. E. Mars Regolith Thermal and Electrical Properties: Initial Results of the Phoenix Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP)  Initial results from the Phoenix Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe suggest the landing event disturbed the thermal properties of the regolith surface. H2O is exchanged between the atmosphere and regolith, and observed both in RH and dielectric measurements. Renno N. O.  Bos B. J. Catling D. Clark B. C. Drube L. Fisher D. Goetz W. Hviid S. F. Keller H. U. Kok J. F. Kounaves S. P. Leer K. Lemmon M. Madsen M. B. Markiewicz W. Marshall J. McKay C. Mehta M. Smith M. Smith P. H. Stoker C. Young S. M. M. Zent A. Physical and Thermodynamical Evidence for Liquid Water on Mars We show independent physical and thermodynamical evidence that liquid saline-water exists in areas disturbed by the Phoenix lander and that the thermodynamics of freeze-thaw cycles leads to the formation brine layers. Thus, liquid saline-water might be common on Mars. Kounaves S. P.  Catling D. Clark B. C. DeFlores L. Gospodinova K. Hecht M. H. Kapit J. Ming D. W. Quinn R. C. Phoenix Science Team Aqueous Carbonate Chemistry of the Martian Soil at the Phoenix Landing Site The Wet Chemistry Labs on Phoenix gave pH, conductivity, ions, and evidence that the salts have previously interacted with water and contain high levels of carbonates. Carbonate results show the need for more extensive laboratory work and equilibrium modeling. Hanley J.  Chevrier V. F. Altheide T. S. Low Temperature Aqueous Perchlorate Solutions on the Surface of Mars Perchlorates may hold the key to finding liquid water on Mars. We demonstrate that Mg- and Na-perchlorate solutions can have low evaporation rates and high stability on the martian polar surface. Davis B. L.  Chevrier V. F. Altheide T. S. Swaffar C. Reflectance Spectra of Low-Temperature Chloride and Perchlorate Hydrates and their Relevance to the Martian Surface Reflectance spectra of chloride and perchlorate hydrates were measured, since they are thermodynamically more stable than their anhydrous counterpart under Mars low-temperatures. Results show that these hydrates show specific spectral features. Archer P. D. Jr. Imanaka H. Smith M. A. Ming D. W. Boynton W. V. Smith P. H. UV Photolysis of Mellitic Acid — A Possible Organic at the Mars Phoenix Landing Site The Phoenix lander is the first mission since Viking that could detect organics. Mellitic acid is a possible decay product of meteoritic organics. We irradiate mellitic acid with UV, producing a residue to analyze and compare to Phoenix results.Young S. M. M. Phoenix Science Team Polar Mars Biohabitability Assessment of the Wet Chemistry Analysis of Evaporites, Red-Ox Couples, and Dissolved Sulfate on the 2007 Phoenix Mars Scout Mission The Phoenix Mars mission included ions analysis by the Wet Chemistry Lab. One mission objective was to address biohabitability through water, energy sources, and subsurface bio-hostility. WCL experiments contribute much to these discussions.Stoker C. R.  Archer P. D. Jr. Catling D. Clark B. Marshall J. Smith P. Young S. Phoenix Science Team The Habitability of the Phoenix Landing Site: A Comparative Assessment We evaluate the habitability north polar region of Mars based on the results of the Phoenix mission and show that the region has greater habitability and potential for detecting life than other sites visited by Mars landers.http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2009/pdf/sess339.pdfBitter C. Buxner S. R. Martian Multimedia: The Agony and Ecstasy of Communicating Real-Time, Authentic Science During the Phoenix Mars Mission The Phoenix Mars Mission faced robust communication challenges requiring real-time solutions. Managing the message from Mars and ensuring the highest quality of science data and news releases were our top priorities during mission surface operations.Where are all those people who said Phoenix was a failure? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

3488 · Jul 2, 2009

It appears that the Mars Phoenix Lander has confirmed beyond any doubt of Martian Obliquity swings & severe changes in atmospheric & hydrological conditions.

Quite a major find IMHO & a real jab in the eye for those who dissed this remarkable mission.

Image & Caption.

NASA Phoenix Mars Lander Results Point To Martian Climate Cycles.

Composite view of trenches dug & view of Scandia Colles looking north to the horizon.

Composite view of trenches.

Andrew Brown.

kelvinzero · Jul 6, 2009

Hey.. I only suggested that if they had let the Pimp My Ride people have a hand in its design there would be more public interest

How does that calcium carbonate form? ( Im still hoping for chalk

)

xXTheOneRavenXx · Jul 6, 2009

I have to say thank you for those really Hi-Def images. In the last one it definately looks like frozen water under the surface to me, even without the instruments they use to analyze it. Being that close to the surface, it mimics what we see here in Nova Scotia near the end of winter. It doesn't take much of a temperature difference for that frost layer to melt and flood the surface. I'm sure this same action could be what happens on Mars during it's polar shift's, hence the "run off" markings in the images. The Dept of highways used to pile their sand/dirt mixture outside in pits when i was a kid. The frost appeared in the same manor, and in the spring it made the same markings as we see in the Mars images as the frost thawed and made small run off's. I know it's a weird example, but it looked the exact same way as the Mars images.

MeteorWayne · Jul 11, 2009

I just received the latest issue of SCIENCE with 4 reports of Phoenix results. Haven't had enough time to read them yet, just a quick scan. They discuss the action of water on the surfce, including later LIDAR results than were available during the mission that apparently do show snow reaching the ground around Sol 129. During the mission (~ Sol 99) the Lidar showed Virga, with the snow sublimating on the way down a few km above the surface.

After I read the articles a few times (once is never enough) I'll summarize some resluts.

MW

3488 · Jul 11, 2009

Thank you very, very much Wayne.

I have found this recent article dated Thursday 2nd July 2009.

Snowfall on Mars.

Andrew Brown.

MeteorWayne · Jul 11, 2009

Just as an experiment, I'm going to hold off on looking at the article link you listed, read the original article, write up my own interpretations, then we can see how close they are

Wayne

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