# Cassini: meets the lord of the rings



## Brian G Turner (Jul 2, 2004)

Well, we've waited a long time for this - and I can't wait for the Huygens probe results in January, when it'll touh down on Titan, one of the most enigmatic moons in the solar system. 

  Just as Earth is at the triple point of water - ie, water can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas on earth - so Titan is at the triple point of Methane. And until Huygens' breaks through the biochemical smog cloudy the moon, we'll not be able to see what that looks like.

 Anyway, here's how the BBC is covering the current arrival:


*Cassini through the rings*:

  The international mission to Saturn - Cassini-Huygens - has returned the first close-up images of Saturn's rings.   The probe successfully entered an orbit of the sixth planet on Thursday. 

  The $3.3bn probe fired its main engine for 95 minutes to slow it sufficiently to be captured by the gravity of Saturn and begin its four-year science mission. 

  "That brings tears to my eyes. That's just gorgeous," said Cassini's imaging team leader Carolyn Porco on seeing the remarkable first pictures of the rings.


  Many of the images show ripple-like features in the rings called density waves which arise from differences in the packing of ring particles. 

  The pictures also show a phenomenon known as a bending wave - a spiral warping effect in the ring plane. 

  Both types of wave feature are caused by the influence of Saturn's external moons on the ring system.


 More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3857187.stm





*Cassini's first pass at Titan:*


  The international Cassini-Huygens probe has had its first opportunity to fly by Saturn's biggest moon, Titan.  

  Already the spacecraft has managed to detect large linear features on Titan's surface which are obscured from Earth telescopes by its thick atmosphere. 

  Imaging specialists said these could be techtonic structures - areas of crust which had been shaped by movement. 

  Cassini flew within 350,000km of the moon, the first of more than 40 visits it will make in the next four years. 

  Not only is Titan a primary science target for the mission, but the sheer size of the moon means navigators can use its gravitational attraction to make major changes in the spacecraft's orbital paths. 

  This means Cassini can move to different parts of the Saturnian system without using too much fuel. 

  Cassini-Huygens - the main spacecraft carries the Huygens "lander" intended for delivery to Titan in January next year - arrived at the sixth planet on Thursday. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3861753.stm


----------



## Alexa (Oct 29, 2004)

We are almost in November, Brian, so I suppose the time will pass faster now till January. I'm eager to see what's on Titan.

I read your prologue 'Emperor'. I still believe you should write something about Titan before the landing of Cassini-Huygens. I know you are very busy, but imagine the beauthy of rings around Saturn and a possible future life on Titan.

Remember me ?


----------



## Brian G Turner (Oct 29, 2004)

Hi Alexa, and nice to see you've moved into here.


----------



## Maryjane (Oct 29, 2004)

This image shows Titan in ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths. It was taken by Cassini's imaging science subsystem on Oct. 26, 2004, and is constructed from four images acquired through different color filters. Red and green colors represent infrared wavelengths and show areas where atmospheric methane absorbs light. These colors reveal a brighter (redder) northern hemisphere. Blue represents ultraviolet wavelengths and shows the high atmosphere and detached hazes. 

Titan has a gigantic atmosphere, extending hundreds of kilometers above the surface. The sharp variations in brightness on Titan's surface (and clouds near the south pole) are apparent at infrared wavelengths. The image scale of this picture is 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) per pixel.

_I got lots more shots of Titan in black and white. After all I do allot of research in this field as well as astrophysics and nanotechnology on my own, for me it's an itch I am always looking for so I can scratch it. If interested just ask. Carry on _


----------



## Maryjane (Oct 29, 2004)

_Nice to meet ya Alexa, well hava nice day and I hope we get to chat sometime. From your dedicated greeter of new comers to the forum. That's allot of welcome mats._


----------



## Alexa (Oct 29, 2004)

Nice to meet you, Maryjane ! Thanks a lot for your warmly welcome.
It will be my pleasure to have a chat with you. 
By the way, I'm in Québec (Laval).


----------



## Maryjane (Oct 30, 2004)

_I like that character from star treck you have for an avatar. I am an empath as well. I live in Barrie Ontario. I think your the only other Canadian outside of myself in here. I think there is more women here then guys to so we are not the only female sci fi and fantasy nut casses in here _


----------



## Alexa (Oct 30, 2004)

I like a lot counseler Deanna Troi. Plus, I'm an empath, too.  I used to watch every episode of Star Trek The Next Generation. I think I miss it. 

It's strange what you say about women. I usually spend my time on another site of Brian's, where the guys represent the majority. No many Canadians there either. I suppose I should spend my spare time on both the sites to see if I can help for the balance.


----------



## Maryjane (Oct 31, 2004)

_Alexia would you like to join a few of the girls and I on MSN especailly on the weekends. Not much going on in the forum on the weekends, it's pretty dead. If you have hotmail just send you email addy to my email. I keep missing you sometimes just by a couple minute. Tanks _


----------



## Alexa (Oct 31, 2004)

Maryjane,

It's true, there is no much activity in the week-ends. I think we have posted in the same time on the thread about the moon.  

I added your name on my list of contacts. So, whenever you'll be on line, we can chat.

By the way, I'm a French speaker, so please forgive my poor English.

See you soon,

Alexa


----------



## Maryjane (Oct 31, 2004)

_Oh good, thanks Alexia. We might yet have our own little group of chaters for the weekends, well one would never know that your poor in english by your writting.  I am french and Iroquois decent. I can speack enough french that If I had to I could make myself undestood. Been a long times since I spoke it though. Rusty but wouldn't take me long to pick it all up again._


----------



## Brian G Turner (Oct 31, 2004)

Alexa, that's a beautiful image - thanks for bringing that to my attention.


----------



## Alexa (Oct 31, 2004)

I do my best, Brian, to be sure you won't forget me !


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 1, 2004)

_I wasn't aware Brian had another site Alexa, any activety in there on the week ends?_


----------



## Alexa (Nov 1, 2004)

Hello Maryjane ! You can check Brian's links from each post. 

No, the activity during summer and week-ends is not high. That's why I usually check my e-mails during the week, in the morning before I go to work, like now, or in the evening.

Sorry, I do not have a lot of time right now. I have to run to work.

See you soon,

Alexa


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 1, 2004)

This image taken by Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer clearly shows surface features on Titan. It is a composite of false-color images taken at three infrared wavelengths: 2 microns (blue); 2.7 microns (red); and 5 microns (green). A methane cloud can be seen at the south pole (bottom of image). This picture was obtained as Cassini flew by Titan at altitudes ranging from 100,000 to 140,000 kilometers (88,000 to 63,000 miles), less than two hours before the spacecraft's closest approach. The inset picture shows the landing site of Cassini's piggybacked Huygens probe






Thanks Alexa. I see we may be using MSN allot during the summer months. I got five members signed in now. I work evenings today myself so I won't be on the board untill after 9:00 pm


----------



## Alexa (Nov 2, 2004)

Maryjane,

Did you took the picture form space. com ?

Did you you see the clouds on the south pole are possibly not made of methane ? I suspect some surprises for us in January.




> But, according to data gathered by Cassini, the particles that make up the cloud are too big to be methane.





> "I don't believe it," says Chris McKay, a planetary scientist with the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. "What else can they be? It would be like flying over Earth and saying the clouds are not water. If those clouds are really not methane, then a lot of the things we think about Titan are wrong. A lot of things we think about those clouds are wrong - the whole explanation of why they're there."
> 
> The Cassini science team has not yet had time to fully analyze the data sent back by the spacecraft, so they don't yet know what the clouds are made of.


 

from "New Images of Titan buffle astronomers", by Henry Bortman, astrobiology Magazine


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 2, 2004)

I was thinking the same thing Alexa. I have a little theory of my own. The gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn are sustpected of being hot at one time like the sun but through the malina they have cooled but not cold. There is still allot of heat radiating from them and if this heat radiates as far as the innermost satalites these stalites may turn out to be much warmer then speculated. Or if these moons somehow produce their own heat source like from hot springs or thermal action like volcanoes and such. There are many possibileties but it doesn't necessarely mean there is life there. It would be amazing if there was. If we could find traces of life either still living or foselized on any one planet or moon it would drasticaly change the chances of life elswhere in the univers which I strongly believe there is. When I have more time I'll type out my big bang theory


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 2, 2004)

But, according to data gathered by Cassini, the particles that make up the cloud are too big to be methane. 
_I suspected so Alexa. The site I get my info and pics from is NASA planetary photo journal. they give beautiful shots of Titan and Mars but the info is kind of sparce as far as I am concerned. If I want more detail I research it on the web or my Hunny in Washington DC who works for the federal government sends me detailed info from washington post and other news papers and magazines. I also stay abreast of Scientific America or Discovery magazines. The Toronto star has some pretty good articles at times as well. You may want to check some of the local major news papers where you are as well Alexa. Well I think this will be it for me for tonight. Been burning the candle at both ends till the wee hours of the morning a bit to much lately_



</FONT>


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 4, 2004)

_Another interesting pic of Titan pic and info_







This wide-angle image captured by Cassini's imaging science subsystem shows streaks of surface material in the equatorial region of Titan. It was acquired through a near-infrared filter, which is sensitive to methane. Streaks occur in the east-west direction (upper left to lower right), and may be caused by the movement of a fluid over the surface, such as wind, hydrocarbon liquids, or a migrating ice sheet, such as a glacier. The large-scale streaks are most easily explained by winds in Titan's massive atmosphere. The image scale of this picture is 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) per pixel. North is 45 degree to the right of vertical


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 5, 2004)

Another shot of Titan







Saturn's moon Titan shows a sharp contrast between its smooth and rough edges in a new false-color radar image. 

To provide a better perspective of the surface features, the color image is shown alongside a black and white image that was previously released. To read the full caption for the black and white image click here PIA06988. 

In the new color image, brighter areas may correspond to rougher terrains, slopes facing the radar, or different materials. The pink colors enhance smaller details on the surface, while the green color represents smoother areas. Winding linear features that cut across dark areas may be ridges or channels, although their nature is not yet understood. A large dark circular feature is seen at the western (top left) end of the image, but very few features on Titan resembling fresh impact craters are seen. 

The area shown is in the northern hemisphere of Titan and is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) wide by 300 kilometers (186 miles) long. The image is a part of a larger strip created from data taken on Oct. 26, 2004, when the Cassini spacecraft flew approximately 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) above Titan's surface. 

.


----------



## Alexa (Nov 6, 2004)

Cool shots !


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Ya and well keep getting more and better cool shots in the coming days Alexa. I don't know why the interest in the forum seems to have dropped off for some reason but what ever new data I get I will continue to post as long as this thread is still here. I got some good stuff on Mars as well, the last one was about the face in Cydonia, in the "man on the moon post" which also died off maybe I will move Mars info here as well._


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Here is a cool link I found_

Life on Mars: it may be primative, but it's there


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Mars weeps_
_Is it melting surface frost or melting permafrost?_






[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Posted - 16 Feb 2003 : 15:51:28[/font] 

 

 [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]The smoking gun about water on Mars??? 

The following pics were choosen because you can really see in them the running water on the famous "seeps"

http://www.msss.com/moc_gallery/e07_e12/full_jpg_non_map/E11/E1101210.jpg[/font]


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Sorry about the first one it should have oppened full but instead it oppened in a strip where you have to click in a box at bottom left cornen to expand it and trying to click in the box is like trying hit a speeding cocroach with a tack hammer_​​There has been a good deal of speculation regarding the seep phenomenon and what seeps are made of. There are many lay researchers that are suggesting oil, a mixture of oil and water, some other exotic fluid, or a fine dark dust. These speculations are understandable, but largely misguided. The reasons for arriving at these conclusions are many, but all have their foundation in the way our brains are trained to respond to certain visual stimuli. When we see dark patterns that exhibit flow, our brains connect to our experience and pronounce "oil." The obvious problem with this connotation is that we are dealing with grayscale images from the MGS MOC platform. Without other visual cues, a dark stain does look like oil. The key here is the lack of other visual cues. In grayscale images, damp regolith (soil) will render a much lower albedo than the surrounding dry areas.​*Why do the seeps always seem to occur on slopes and escarpments?*

What is most likely being exhibited in the images showing the seep phenomenon are crater walls and other scarps that have bisected shallow aquifers and have allowed fluid (most likely water) to seep or weep down the slope. ​


​The line drawing above describes the geological and hydrological forces that allow the seep phenomenon to occur. A layer of higher permeability exists above a layer of lower permeability, thereby creating a porous channel or aquifer. When these layers are bisected by geological features such as craters, troughs, canyons or other scarps, any liquid that is transported by this high permeability layer is released at the terminus. 
The fluid driven by gravity at this point will make its way down the path of least resistance, dampening the soil and causing the affected area to darken when compared to the drier surroundings. ​*Why would it be water?*



The sensors and science packages that have been deployed on various Mars orbiters have all reported the presence of H2O. The problem is that none of these remote sensors have been sensitive enough to detect the quantity and type of the water. It is now widely accepted that there may be large ice fields, some the size of the state of Arizona, trapped in the Martian crust. We know that the north pole of Mars consists primarily of water ice and that the south pole while primarily constituted of CO2 or "dry ice" also contains a large amount of water. Scientists generally agree that when the Martian atmosphere was stripped away (most likely as a result of the Hellas impact event) much of the available surface water may have retreated underground. When all these factors are considered, the seeps are most likely to have been created by the seeping of liquid water.​*Why are the flows wider at the base?*

I have read many questions regarding the fan shape of the majority of the flows, and it appears that some individuals are having difficulty understanding the nature of the patterns that have been imaged. ​



*Crop from M12-02685*​Notice that the origins of the seeps typically start at a fine point and are much wider at the base, but they are also somewhat irregular. This is not only expected, but confirmatory that the phenomenon is most likely liquid rather than fines (loose powdery dust). As the fluid escapes the permeable layer, it begins to saturate the immediate areas of contact. Once the porous surface material has reached saturation, the liquid surface tension of the fluid that is bound to the soil, causes advancement and saturation of adjacent areas of contact. This action is repeated until the fluid stops seeping, or the terminus of the seep reaches a highly porous or permeable surface. In the case of the latter, a more porous material will absorb much greater volumes of liquid. As the seep advances down the slope it will moisten areas directly below it and the regolith/soil that is laterally adjacent. This geometric progression causes the outwardly radiating fan as the seep advances down a slope.​*How can we be sure that this isn't darker dust?*

As mentioned above, the flow pattern is indicative of fluid (most likely water). But to better understand, and to explain why this is unlikely to be dark dust/fines please see the image below.​



*Crop from M12-02685*​While there are images that show slippage and landslide activity, the seep images do not elicit a similar morphology. When dirt, dust, or other material slides down the face of a slope, it will dislodge other material that it comes in contact with, leaving tell-tale signs of disturbance. Moreover, when the slide reaches its terminus, there will be a debris field that is commensurate in volume with the size of the disturbance. We do not find evidence of disturbance or debris in the seep images. To highlight this point, notice that in the image above, a seep that has terminated at the edge of some dunes/crenulations. The seep has made its way *around* the leading edge of the dune and has left the higher section unaffected. This is precisely what we would expect to find in a seepage of liquid down a slope face. Dirt, dust and other slide materials would likely have covered the tips of these dunes/crenulations.​*Why are some of the seeps so light? Are they leaking a different type of material?*​In the January image dump by MSSS, not only were a greater number of seep images available (they too are fascinated by the phenomenon and have been specifically targeting areas where the seeps are more abundant), but a new phenomenon was discovered. A white, or bright, seep.​



*Crop from M12-02685*​There has been some conjecture about what could cause these bright streaks. I believe there are two possible explanations, both being possible but one being more plausible. One explanation would involve the "super oxidation" that some scientists are now attributing to the Martian soil. When this super oxidized soil comes into contact with fluid there would be a chemical reaction similar to pouring peroxide on dirt. It would be possible under those conditions that the chemical reaction bleaches the soil, leaving a higher albedo signature. The second, and much more likely explanation involves evaporates. Recently there has been vigorous speculation by the scientific community that the near surface water on Mars is brackish (exhibiting a higher degree of salinity). As the fluid charge in the near surface aquifer falls off, the seep will stop and the liquid deposited on the surface will evaporate. The salts and minerals carried by the liquid would then be left behind and would have a higher albedo profile than the surrounding terrain.​*Why are the seeps such an important phenomenon?*

Liquid water on Mars changes the equation dramatically. If there is near surface liquid water available, the prospects for extant life are radically improved. Moreover, as we look forward to manned missions, the availability of shallow aquifers significantly enhances the potential for mission success.​​_I believe they could also be melting surface frost or melting permafrost during the warmer temp in Mars's summer months_​


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Here is one of some gullies in a Martian crater_


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Here is a great shot of Guseve crater_


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_I have decided to move my face of Mars here as well since Man on the mood died._

_I  don't know what happened to that new science thread I don't seem to be able to find it but here is some more good shots of the face on Mars






Note the squared off top of the forehead and the two straight sides of the face, the raised brow and nose are the most prominant features. Note the sides of the face are a perfect ninty degrees straight lines from the straight line at the top of the forhead. Note the rounded chin and the colapsed right side of the face. Remember if this was an articial artifact it would have been built more then 4,000,000 years ago or more when Mars was still wet and had a breathable atmosphere. That's allot of erosion and wear from exposure to the elements of Mars. _
​


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 6, 2004)

_Hi again, Alexia if you wish to contact me on MSN do so I have several names in my list but only know your user name for the forum. I guess I'll have to do the same with the others, gona feel dum _


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 7, 2004)

_Once there was lots of water on Mars, flowing water, H20 in liquid form which indicates a temp above the freezing mark at one time. Water + warmer temps and thicker atmosphere = a mixture or soup for producing the begining of some type of primitive life form. They will find it or it's phosolized reminance in the soil or rocks._





 Tiu Vallis 

Tiu Vallis appears to have started from an area of collapsed terrain (a region known as Hydaspis Chaos), moved northward through a fairly narrow channel, and then spread out and eroded a large area to the north and west. A more detailed view of the source shows the chaotic terrain, the initial channels, and various eroded features: 



 Source of Tiu Vallis Erosional features in the outflow channels often form around obstacles such as craters, such as these at the mouth of Ares Vallis:


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 7, 2004)

_Here is another good one I found of artifacts on Mars. I have a whole bunch of these things stored somewhere in my computer I just havn't visited them for a while and forgot which link they were in. Heck I even got some of Jupiters moons also taken from the probe they sent to disintigrate into Jupiters atmosphere, I even got a shot of that when it was making the decent. I need to find that stuff_


Our previous analysis of the Face [6] confirmed its structure to be highly symmetrical. The THEMIS image shows the D&M to possess a high degree of symmetry as well. In Fig. 2 the image has been rotated so that the hypothetical axis of symmetry is aligned with the vertical axis. Fig. 3 plots the Marola symmetry measure [7] which was used previously to locate the axes of symmetry of the Face in the April 2001 MGS image. The peak of the curve indicates the horizontal position which maximizes the symmetry measure. In Fig. 2 we alternate between the original and left-right flipped versions of the D&M Pyramid. Although signs of erosion are present, a high degree of bilateral symmetry still exists. We note the difference between the left and right "arms" of the formation. The end of the left arm appears to have collapsed. Previously it has been conjectured that this may be an opening leading into the D&M Pyramid. Perhaps an image acquired in the morning with the sun illuminating the east side might help to determine the nature of this feature. ​​



​​*Fig. 2 D&M Pyramid rotated so that axis of symmetry is along vertical axis. Dynamic GIF alternates between original and left-right flipped images . *​​​



​*Fig. 3 Plot of Marola symmetry for horizontal shifts of image of D&M. *​​​*[font=Arial, Verdana]Interpretation[/font]*

A simple and elegant geometry may be responsible for the symmetry of the D&M Pyramid. Torun identified a number of relationships in its internal geometry which suggested an underlying plan based on tetrahedral geometry [8] . As shown in Fig. 4 the presence of angles approximately at 30, 60, and 90 degrees suggests that the faces of the D&M can be described by isosceles and right triangular facets. However, more precise angular measurements may also confirm Torun's original model. ​​



​​*Fig.*​


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 9, 2004)

The radar illumination was from the south: dark regions may represent areas that are smooth, made of radar-absorbing materials, or are sloped away from the direction of illumination. A striking bright feature stretches from upper left to lower right across this image, with connected 'arms' to the East. The fact that the lower (southern) edges of the features are brighter is consistent with the structure being raised above the relatively featureless darker background. Comparisons with other features and data from other instruments will help to determine whether this is a cryovolcanic flow, where water-rich liquid has welled up from Titan's warm interior. 

The image covers an area about 150 kilometers (90 miles) square, and is centered at about 45 degrees north, 30 degrees west in the northern hemisphere of Titan, over a region that has not yet been imaged optically. The smallest details seen on the image are around 1 kilometer (.62 mile) across. Features are less clear at the bottom of the image where the viewing was less favorable. A faint horizontal seam between the radar beams can be seen half way up in this image. 

_Possible liquid water uh!_
_Isnt that starting to sound familiar._


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 11, 2004)

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity captured this view from the base of "Burns Cliff" during the rover's 280th martian day (Nov. 6, 2004). This cliff in the inner wall of "Endurance Crater" displays multiple layers of bedrock for the rover to examine with its panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover team has decided that the farthest Opportunity can safely advance along the base of the cliff is close to the squarish white rock near the center of this image. After examining the site for a few days from that position, the the rover will turn around and head out of the crater. The view is a mosaic of frames taken by Opportunity's navigation camera. The rover was on ground with a slope of about 30 degrees when the pictures were taken, and the view is presented here in a way that corrects for that tilt of the camera.


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 13, 2004)

*Exhisting liquid water on Mars?*

Water/liquid comes in many forms as you will see in the next few pages. I want to try to introduce you to several of the forms that I am aware of. I am sure that the few pages on the issue here only offer a smattering of what's there. These images come from the Hebes Chasma. I have not had time to search MSSS for more of the images, but as you can see at the bottom of this page, the boys at Malin were very interested in this area (for good reason), and were targeting the liquid and it's head point.

*MOC Image M0204091*






This is a cropped section of M020491 narrow angle image of the edge of a shelf in Hebes Chasma. A link to the full image on this server will be available near the bottom of the page. In this image, we can see fluid pooled in depressions in the surface.

Please take notice of the streaking that starts on the "solid" surfaces and continues across the sandy areas and into the fluid/water.

There are clear indications of channels, and fluid pooling in some of those channels.

Because images and pages are sometimes unavailable on the MSSS servers (There have been times in the past, I am told, that select images and pages have disappeared from the servers never to return. I cannot comment on the voracity of that statement, but to insure continuity, I have a copy of most of the original images available on this site.​ 

http://www.marsunearthed.com/DWArchive/mars_water.html ​


----------



## Esioul (Nov 14, 2004)

Would this be solid- i.e ice liquid? I think I've heard of there beign frozen CO2 on Mars, am I right? So perhaps it is the same? I also read of someone saying it might be possible to melt it with a large nuclear explosion, but wouldn't it just freeze again after a while? Nice pics, anyway


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 14, 2004)

_Well one theory Esioul is if there is water or permafrost and ice under the surface it could be in a liquid form deeper down in the cavern or underground chasms which is then heated by geothermal action, some of this water could leack out or seep to the surface and create the many chanels we see in craters etc. Or melting permafrost or snow near the surface when the temps reach to as much as 1 degree above freezing during certain times of the summer months on Mars. The weeps are believed to be created by melting frost or aquafiers from bellow ground. There definatly is still water existing there and lots of it but probably mostly made up of permafrost and ice under the ground. You could use a thermo nuclear facilety to melt great quanteties of water and produce drinking water and power to a settlement as well as using the basic elements of H20 to manufacture a breathable atmosphere in the enclosed environmental settlements. With geodesic domes they could grow their own stuff to eat. This is all the stuff they need to find out before sending a maned mission there. Yes during the winter months on Mars C02 freeses and collects at the poles but the rest of the planet is clear of frozen C02 eccpet in the higher altitudes like mountain ranges and volcanoes and some crater rims, you will find clouds in these areas to when spring or fall arives. C02 all sublimates away during the summer months as so some of the water ice_


----------



## Esioul (Nov 14, 2004)

But isn't it always frozen on Mars, even in the 'summer'? Surely it's too far from the sun? Also, aren't there very nasty thunder storms on Mars? Not sure I could live there, I hate thunder


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 14, 2004)

_Well NASA speculate that any surface water on the surface could remain in liquid form at allot colder temps then freezing mark if it is salinated water and if these seeps are on the sunny side of a cliff or hill, where you will see most of them, or crater rim, in the direct sunligh it could get warm enough to melt in the summer months._


----------



## Esioul (Nov 15, 2004)

Is there are way it could be made warmer i.e some kind of mirror reflecting sunlight? Don't mind me if I'm totally wrong, I don't know much about this.


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 15, 2004)

_There's one solution I have heard of on how to create a climate that would be a bit more hospitable for human habitation is, if one was able to rlease or to sublimate all that C02 locked up in the ice at both poles and releasing it into the atmosphere this would create a thicker atmosphere as well as creat a green house effect in the upper atmosphere warming the surface some. As for ice/water if there is an abundance of it just bellow the surface you could generate your own breathble air but to build up the entire atmosphere with the use of newclear facileties would requiere to many of them and the means and abilety to transport what is needed to build one facilety is not possible in early exploration and settlement of Mars. There have been many methods brought forward on how to teraform Mars but most of the ones I have read sound very sofistcated bulky and exstremely techological and not practicle in early exploration of Mars. At the rate their going I doubt if either of us will see that day. I would just be so happy to just see mans first landing on Mars, my life long dream since I was 6 years old was to live long enough to see that day. I believe there are many secrets on Mars that will change the way we think about orselves and our position in the universe. _


----------



## Esioul (Nov 15, 2004)

Would the lighter gravity be much of a problem for people? 

Your method is interesting, though- let's hope they try it out soon


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 15, 2004)

_Yes Esioul they would have to keep their muscles subtle through physical exercise in order to return to earth gravity without to much discomfort. But Mars's lower gravity would also be of an advantage, doing maintance or moving biger payloads around on the surface and such then you could on earth_


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 16, 2004)

ENDcrater.jpg (73.3 KB)

This view from the base of "Burns Cliff" in the inner wall of "Endurance Crater" combines several frames taken by Opportunity's navigation camera during the NASA rover's 280th martian day (Nov. 6, 2004). It is the left-eye member of a stereo pair, presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometric seam correction. The cliff dominates the left and right portions of the image, while the central portion looks down into the crater. The "U" shape of this mosaic results from the rover's tilt of about 30 degrees on the sloped ground below the cliff. Rover wheel tracks in the left half of the image show some of the slippage the rover experienced in making its way to this point. The site from which this image was taken has been designated as Opportunity's Site 37.


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 18, 2004)

marsclouds.jpg (37.9 KB)

Clouds above the rim of "Endurance Crater" in this image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity can remind the viewer that Mars, our celestial neighbor, is subject to weather. On Earth, clouds like these would be referred to as "cirrus" or the aptly nicknamed "mares' tails." These clouds occur in a region of strong vertical shear. The cloud particles (ice in this martian case) fall out, and get dragged along away from the location where they originally condensed, forming characteristic streamers

_Awsome, to see clouds in the sky above Endurance crater almost like home _


----------



## Maryjane (Nov 21, 2004)

*Re: Mars update*

_ I ran across this little intersting piec of work during my travels tonight_








 Was the "Eye" Designed to Reflect Sunlight? 

1. Artistic Significance of "Eye" Feature 

The presence of a humanoid "eye" on the Face on Mars invites comparison to terrestrial sculpture. The inclusion of a structured "eyeball" in a piece of megascale sculpture is not a trivial artistic element. I propose that the Face is no exception, and that close study might reveal significance dulled by millennia of erosion. 

The anomalous rectangular cells surrounding the western "eye" may be more than an exposed structural mesh or tresswork, as hypothesized elsewhere. Their orientation suggests a decorative intent. If the Face's western side had been sand-blasted for a long period of time, as posited by geologist Ron Nicks, one might expect to see similar "celled" features elsewhere on the Face's exposed surfaces. Instead, the cells appear only around the "eye," suggesting that their placement may transcend mere architecture. 

2. Conspicuous Morphology 

I've described the "eye's" "iris" feature as a "faceted cone," an observation confimed by Chris Joseph's shape-from-shading perspective view (below). 






Correpondingly, colleague Kurt Jonach has illustrated the concept with the following image. While not a strict forensic description of the "eye," the illustration features an almond-shaped perimeter with a pyramidal object emerging from the center -- precisely what we see on the western side of the Face. 






Joseph and Jonach's renderings depict the "iris"/"pupil" emerging from its ellipsoidal basin. Interestingly, the curved array of conspicuous cells lining the "eye's" underside (on the area perhaps corresponding to a "cheekbone") seem centered on the protruding faceted cone, as if united in some long-lost aesthetic function. 






The radial array of empty cells surrounding the "eye" can be seen in this image from Jan., 2001. The faceted peak corresponding to an "iris" or "pupil" may have functioned as a "light collector." (See image of solar power station below.) 

3. "It's All Done with Mirrors" 

Could the empty cells forming the curved grid below the "eye" have once housed mirrors designed to capture sunlight and cast it on the elevated "iris"? This notion is consistent with an archaeological interpretation of the Face and offers a visually pleasing solution to the cells' conspicuous placement. Moreover, it might even be testable, given correct elevation data and a willingness to "reconstruct" the proposed mirror-system (either digitally or through classical sculpture). 

Perhaps the Face once literally "glowered" at the Martian night, confirming the hypothesis that it was meant to be viewed from above -- either by "Cydonians" or "us" . . . or both. 






A solar power plant. Note strategic radial placement of individual mirrors, identical to that of the cells beneath the "eye" on the Mars Face. The central "collecting tower" corresponds to the pyramidal "pupil" feature inside the "eye." 

It should be noted that modern solar energy plants use the same distinct radial method of "harvesting" and focusing sunlight as proposed above -- albeit for industrial purposes. Then again, could the Martian "eye" have served both as a brilliant "ornament" as well as a power generating station of some kind? If the Face was once an arcology housing remnants of a civilization beneath a faltering ecosphere, a solar generator of this sort would be useful in supplying cheap, plentiful energy. 






A proposed observatory composed of individual cells functioning in unison. 

At the same time, the illuminated "eye" would be fulfilling a metaphoric function, chanelling light into the Face just as a real eye allows light to pass through the pupil to be decoded into images by the brain. 

The Enterprise Mission's Mike Bara writes, in part: "Around the eye socket are a set of very regular, geometric shapes that can only be described as a sort of honeycomb cellular structure on the Face itself. Now it just so happens that this very anomalous and decidedly artificial pattern is exactly what Enterprise principal investigator Richard C. Hoagland predicted [...] we would find on the Face when we eventually got a good enough look: that the face was NOT just a 'Mt. Rushmore-type' recarving of an ancient Martian mesa, but a three-dimensional architectural, 'high-tech' construct. That, with high enough resolution, it would begin to reveal precisely those necessary (though now badly eroded) architectural details..." 

Maybe the light-reflecting theory provides the raison d'etre for Bara and Hoagland's "high-tech" interpretation of the radial cells. 



*7-5-01* 






 Possible Hexagon Near "Eye" 






Chris Joseph has outlined a hexagon near the center of the "disk" identified on the previous page. This is a potentially significant find, given the predominance of hexagonal formations on the Martian surface. Additionally, Mark Kelly and Chris Joseph have detected two more hexagons in Cydonia, both north of the Face. 

If the apparant hexagons are "real," could they be remnants of technological structures such as phased array telescopes or solar power stations? Or could the newly discovered hexagon on the Face be a decorative element, similar to a bas relief? 

The radial cells described in the previous article suggest a functional interpretation for the western "eye." (Rather than a single anomolous "bump," the "eye" seems to be a virtual complex of complementary anomalies.) The "disk" above the "eye" features a fine-scale chaotic texture not seen elsewhere on the Face's western half, suggesting now-vanished design elements. It's possible that the hexagon and radial cells served similar functions, if we are in fact looking at the remains of an "observatory" or power station of some kind. Only future images and exploration can resolve this matter. 

Erosion has taken an extreme toll on the Face formation. But there remain peculiarities worthy of methodical study. Interestingly, these peculiarities seem interrelated: an indication of conscious design as opposed to blind natural forces. 



*7-8-01* 






 New Poll Suggests High Acceptance of Artificiality in Cydonia 

220 visitors to The Cydonian Imperative website recently took part in an interesting, if unscientific, survey. When asked, "Given the available evidence, do you think there are artificial features in Cydonia?" 

*41%* responded "Absolutely." 

*17%* responded "Almost certainly." 

*17%* responded "Probably." 

*15%* responded "Maybe." 

*6%* responded "Probably not." 

*4%* responded "Absolutely not." 



*7-14-01* 






 Large Geometric Grid Found on Mars 






Keith Laney has discovered a large geometric grid on Mars that resembles the foundation of a terrestrial city. The regularity of the lines is remarkable and suggests intelligent design. Could this be a geological phenomenon? If so, it appears to be the first of its kind. 






These unusual rectilinear cells discovered by Richard Hoagland are reminiscent of Laney's Grid, although they appear much less uniform. 

Writes Lan Fleming: 

"The aspect ratio for the grid image was 1.6. Keith sent me the section of the raw image I had requested, and when I stretched it in the vertical direction by 160%, the grid lines cross at angles of almost exactly 90 degrees in some areas, +/- a few degrees. Although the lines do curve gradually from left to right over the length of the image, the 90 degree relationship seems to hold over most of the area. Also, the small light objects within the grid appear very blocky. 

"I thought at first this was due to overenlargement, but I don't think so [now]. I've increased the height [...] by a factor of only 1.28 while decreasing the width by a factor of .8, so the 1.6 aspect ratio still holds without enlarging so much vertically, and it _still_ looks blocky. It looks especially blocky where the grid lines are most closely aligned to the image axes, so there is probably some reinforcing interference from the pixel grid. But there is definitely a pattern there and the objects within the grid cells seem to be part of it." 



*7-15-01* 






 Peculiar "Crater" Next to "Grid" Resembles Cydonia Feature 






This unusual feature appears near the "Grid" featured above. Note the offshooting "ramp." The overall morphology is quite similar to that of the apparent dome discovered by Chris Joseph near the "Eras Mounds" and "Cydoniahenge" in Cydonia (see below). 






Shape-from-shading rendering of the "Grid Crater." 






The Cydonia "dome" discovered by Chris Joseph. Note semicircular "platform" inside caldera and offshooting ramp-like feature. 

In addition to locating the conspicuous circular feature shown above, Chris Joseph has demonstrated that the numerous intersecting lines comprising the Grid are _raised_, not cracks or depressions, as would be expected from stress-induced geological processes. 





 Back


----------

