RESUMO
We have found that a rather simple thermal model of the Martian surface, in combination with current observations of the atmospheric composition, points strongly toward the conclusion that the polar caps of Mars consist almost entirely of frozen CO(2). This study was based upon the following principal assumptions. 1) Carbon dioxide is a major constituent of the Martian atmosphere. 2) The blanketing effect of the atmosphere is small, and due principally to the absorption band of CO(2) near 15 microns. 3) Lateral and convective heat transfer by the atmosphere is negligible. 4) The far-infrared emissivity of the Martian soil and of solid CO(2) are near unity. 5) The reflectivities of the soil and of solid CO(2) in the visible part of the spectrum are about 0.15 and 0.65, respectively. 6) Values for soil conductivity, density, and specific heat are those characteristic of powdered minerals at low gas pressure. 7) Water is a minor constituent of the Martian atmosphere, the maximum total amount in the atmosphere being 10 to 30 X 1O(-4) g cm(-2). In addition, several simplifications were made, which might have significant effects but should not alter our principal conclusions. Among these are the following. 1) Local blanketing or snowfall effects due to clouds or polar haze were ignored. 2) Dark and light areas were not differentiated in this study, although Sinton and Strong (6) have observed temperature differences between such areas. 3) The effects of local topography and microrelief were neglected. We believe that these must have quite significant effects at the higher latitudes, especially in connection with the evaporation of the remanent south polar cap. 4) Variation of reflectivity with angle of incidence of the sunlight was neglected. 5) Temperature dependence of soil conductivity and specific heat was ignored. 6) Effects of saturation of the soil by ice upon the thermal properties of the soil were neglected. Although in our main investigation we used certain specific values for the various relevant parameters, we also tested the effects of moderate changes in these quantities. Specifically, the soil conductivity was varied by a factor of 3, the albedo and emissivity of the surface were changed by 15 to 20 percent, and the effects of a gross amount of atmospheric blanketing were studied, as described. Only the last of these variations had any significant effect on the model, and other results of the atmospheric blanketing were in disagreement with other physical observations of the planet. Consequently, we find it difficult to avoid the conclusion that CO(2) must condense in large amounts relative to H(2)0. The main conclusions indicated by this study are the following. 1) The atmosphere and frost caps of Mars represent a single system with CO(2) as the only active phase. 2) The appearance and disappearance of the polar caps are adequately explained on the presumption that they are composed almost entirely of solid CO(2) with perhaps an occasional thin coating of water ice. 3) If the currently reported water-vapor observations are correct, water-ice permafrost probably exists under large regions of the planet at polar and temperate latitudes. 4) The geochemically anomalous enrichment of CO(2) relative to N(2) in the present Martian atmosphere may be a result of selective trapping of CO(2) in the solid phase at and under the surface. 5) If the basic evaporation and condensation mechanisms for CO(2) and H(2)O discussed in this article are correct, the possible migration of volatile organic compounds away from the warm temperate regions of the planet and their possible accumulation in the polar regions need to be carefully considered.
RESUMO
At orbit insertion on 14 November 1971 the Martian surface was largely obscured by a dust haze with an extinction optical depth that ranged from near unity in the south polar region to probably greater than 2 over most of the planet. The only features clearly visible were the south polar cap, one dark, spot in Nix Olympica, and three dark spots in the Tharsis region. During the third week the atmosphere began to clear and surface visibility improved, but contrasts remained a fraction of their normal value. Each of the dark spots that apparently protrude through most of the dust-filled atmosphere has a crater or crater complex in its center. The craters are rimless and have featureless floors that, in the crater complexes, are at different levels. The largest crater within the southernmost spot is approximately 100 kilometers wide. The craters apparently were formed by subsidence and resemble terrestrial calderas. The south polar cap has a regular margin, suggsting very flat topography. Two craters outside the cap have frost on their floors; an apparent crater rim within the cap is frost free, indicating preferentia loss of frost from elevated ground. If this is so then the curvilinear streaks, which were frost covered in 1969 and are now clear of frost, may be low-relief ridges. Closeup pictures of Phobos and Deimos show that Phobos is about 25 +/-5 by 21 +/-1 kilometers and Deimos is about 13.5 +/- 2 by 12.0 +/-0.5 kilometers. Both have irregular shapes and are highly cratered, with some craters showing raised rims. The satellites are dark objects with geometric albedos of 0.05.