Lecture 9-13

Question 1

Explain how the lunar cratering record is used to date the surfaces of other planets

Answer 1

• the number of craters on a part of a planetary surface can be used to estimate its age; the more craters, the older the age

Question 2

Explain how it is possible that water ice could be present on Mercury’s surface

Answer 2

There are some deep craters at the poles of Mercury that are permanently shadowed which protect/preserve any volatiles present in the craters

Question 3

Describe Mercury in terms of its orbit, length of the day, and length of the year

Answer 3

Orbit: ~1/3 of the distance from the Sun to Earth
Length of the Day: 59 earth days
Length of the Year: 88 Earth Days

Question 4

Describe the surface of Venus as seen from landersDescribe the surface of Venus as seen from landers

Answer 4

It has a very rough, rocky surface and due to the atmosphere, everything has a yellow tintIt has a very rough, rocky surface and due to the atmosphere, everything has a yellow tint

Question 5

Mercury’s unique tectonic features

Answer 5

Compressional stresses are dominant. Mercury has contracted 7 km in radius

Question 6

What are Lowlands, Uplands and Highlands

Answer 6

• Lowland: below 0km of elevation
• Uplands: around 0-2km of elevation (isolated domes)
• Highlands: areas that are > 2km (mountain regions)

Question 7

Tectonic features of Venus:
What do fracture belts, domes and rifts represent on Venus

Answer 7

Extension

Question 8

Tectonic features of Venus:
What do mountain and ridge belts represent on Venus

Answer 8

Compression

Question 9

What are Coronae?

Answer 9

• Volcano-tectonic features that unique to Venus
• Corona: system of concentric fractures and ridges surrounding a central plain
  (STAGES ARE NOT IMPORTANT WE WERE TESTED ALR)

Question 10

Atmosphere of Venus

Answer 10

Effects:
- High surface temps (greenhouse effect)
- Wind erosion and deposition

Question 11

How does the greenhouse effect affect venus?

Answer 11

• It is too hot for liquid water to condense, water stays as a gas, CO2 stays as a gas
• TLDR for “runaway greenhouse effect”: it’s super hot because of all the CO2 and you need to cool the atmosphere a bunch to stabilize all the carbonate

Question 12

Geologic History of Mars: Pre-Noachian

Answer 12

• Pre-Noachian
  ↳ Magma formation
  ↳ large basin formation from impacts

Question 13

Geologic History of Mars: Noachian

Answer 13

• Noachian
  ↳ Early volcanism
  ↳ Tectonism begins

Question 14

Geologic History of Mars: Herperian

Answer 14

• Herperian
  ↳ Valles Mariuneris forms
  ↳ Elysium volcanoes form

Question 15

Geologic History of Mars: Amazonian

Answer 15

• Amazonian
  ↳ Ongoing volcanism
  ↳ Polar Icy deposits
  ↳ mass movement

Question 16

Mars Hydrological Cycle

Answer 16

The current hydrologic cycle on Mars involves the periodic release of ground ice into the atmosphere as vapour, which travels to and freezes at the poles, with pole ice sublimating in summer and travelling to the colder pole, and surface frost precipitating and sublimating due to daily temperature changes.

Question 17

Ground Ice in Mars

Answer 17

• Right now liquid water is NOT stable at the surface of present day mars
• Water ice is present

Question 18

Mass movement in Mars

Answer 18

• Mass movement: gravity-driven downhill
  movement of unconsolidated material

Question 19

Slope Streak characterization

Answer 19

Slope Streak: start in a point upslope, widen downslope
- Wet (liquid water)
↳ melting of frost/ice
↳ groundwater spring
- Dry
↳ Dust avalanching