2007-07-17 02:31:53 · 7 answers · asked by Cleveo7 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Lower gravity means it can't hold on to such a think atmosphere.
Mars has a nearly nonexistent magnetic field, leaving it unprotected from the solar winds, hence its atmosphere gets blown away over time.
It's millions of miles further from the sun, therefore receives less light and heat from it.
Result: cooler with a thinner atmosphere.
2007-07-17 02:37:40 · answer #1 · answered by Jason T 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The cooler temperatures are mostly due to the increased distance from the Sun. The radiant energy decreases like 1/R^2, so with Mars at an average of 1.5 AU, one sees about 2.25 times less energy shining on Mars. On Mars we see 590 W/m^2, while on Earth, 1370 W/m^2 measured at the top of the atmosphere. Cooler temperature extremes also result from the higher eccentricity of the Martian orbit, and the thinner atmosphere which allows more radiative cooling.
The thinner atmosphere is almost certainly not a result of the solar wind or the weak and random Martian magnetic field. After all Venus has no magnetic field either, sits much closer to the sun getting much more solar wind, yet its atmosphere is quite thick. The planet Mars had in ancient times a global ocean some 30m thick and presumably an atmosphere to match. Mostly the atmosphere simply leaks away from the weaker gravity, but Mars may have had some help due to large meteor impacts.
2007-07-17 14:12:15 · answer #2 · answered by Robert T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is further from us than we are from the sun. Also the planet doesn't have plants to recycle their air. The atmosphere is still dense enough that they have some very bad sand storms. On one of the mars probes it was thought that we had a malfunction with the camera as the picture was very bleary and u could see little detail. That was the sand storm and it covered a large portion of the surface we were looking at. To send commands to the space craft was 15 min. one way ,which is almost double the time for light to travel from the sun.
2007-07-17 09:53:28 · answer #3 · answered by JOHNNIE B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps because it is further from the sun than Earth is. Lack of pollution may help as well.
2007-07-17 09:40:02 · answer #4 · answered by anselina1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
much less gravity and much farther from the Sun than earth.
2007-07-17 09:39:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it's made up primarily of carbon dioxide
2007-07-17 09:40:12 · answer #6 · answered by JESSICA G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask God He made it.
2007-07-17 09:34:21 · answer #7 · answered by Steiner 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋