JESSABELLE B.

IBAEZ

ENV SCI 1

2015-04580

THX

The Martian Environment

Mars is considered the most Earth-like planet in the solar system. However, Martian
conditions are harsh compared to Earth. Moreover, this planet is a terrible habitat for life as
we know it. Staying long term on Mars will surely be a great challenge to any astronauts.
The most essential aspect of a planet is its atmosphere. The Earths atmosphere
is composed of different gases, most of which are used to support life. Mars is smaller than
the Earth, resulting in lower gravity force only 1/3 of the Earths gravity. Partly because of
this fact, much of the planets atmosphere has drifted away. In fact, the atmosphere of Mars
is less than 1% the thickness of that of the Earth. On top of that, it is composed of 95%
carbon dioxide and oxygen makes up only 0.13% of the atmosphere.
Another issue to be acknowledged here is the whole atmosphere itself. A planets
atmosphere serves as a natural barrier against high energy radiation coming from the sun.
Mars atmosphere is so thin to effectively serve this function for humans to survive. Although
Mars atmosphere is 100 times thinner than that of the Earth, it is still thick enough to support
weather, clouds, and even winds that are strong enough to stir up dust from the planets
surface. These dust storms are said to be the largest in the solar system, capable of covering
the whole planet and lasting for months.
One thing to be concerned about is the climate on Mars, too. According to Jessa Tega,
in her article Conditions on Mars, the average temperature on Mars is minus 50 degrees
Celsius. In addition, Mars axis, like the Earths, is tilted at a certain angle, which gives it
seasons. This means that the temperature are even lower during its winters and it should be
noted that seasons on Mars last twice as long as the seasons on Earth because of the longer
time it takes for Mars to finish one revolution. The Martian snowflakes, according to Tim
Sharp, a reference editor of Space.com, are thought to be the size of red blood cells and are
made of carbon dioxide, not water.
Although the planet is just like a desert today, several studies have shown that there is
an abundance of water ice beneath the surface. Based on Tim Sharps article about Mars, the
planet could have harboured life. Oceans, according to him, may have existed on Mars in the
past, providing an environment for life to possibly exist. Some researchers suggest that liquid
water may be found underground, providing a potential refuge to life that might still exist
there today. Plenty of researches have even conjectured that life on Earth might have seeded
Mars, or that life on Mars seeded Earth.