Optical Properties of the Magnetic Dust on Mars

Details Optical Properties of the Magnetic Dust on Mars Optical Properties of the Magnetic Dust on Mars

Aug 2000

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000mpse.conf...57g&link_type=abstract

International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration, p. 57

Physics

Mars Atmosphere, Mars Surface, Optical Properties, Dust, Mars (Planet), Mars Pathfinder, Viking Mars Program, Magnetic Properties, Magnets, Optical Filters, Water

Scientific paper

The abstract summarizes the results from a new analysis of the data from the Magnetic Properties Experiment on Mars Pathfinder, regarding the optical properties of the magnetic dust. Among the remarkable results of the Viking mission was the discovery that the Martian dust/soil is highly magnetic, in the sense that the dust is attracted by small hand magnets. Study of the properties of the magnetic dust is of importance, as it may contain invaluable clues on the surface processes that have shaped the planet, especially the role of water in these processes. The Mars Pathfinder lander carried two sets of the so-called Magnet Array (MA): an upper MA, placed on top of the electronics box, and a lower MA situated on the base petal between two of the solar-cell petals of the lander. Each MA consists of five "bulls eye" pattern magnets of various surface magnetic field strength. During the mission, these magnets collected magnetic dust particles suspended in the Martian atmosphere. Pictures were taken of the magnets at regular intervals using various optical filters, and these data were used for the analysis. Additional information is obtained in the original extended abstract.

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