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Conditions of the Martian atmosphere and surface in the remote past and their relevance to the question of life on MarsAlthough the Viking Landers failed to find any evidence of life on the surface of Mars, much remains unknown. Study of returned samples can answer some of these questions. The search for organic compounds, the building blocks of life forms based on carbon chemistry, should continue. The question of life on Mars is still an open one, and deserves to be addressed by the study of returned samples. Whether life developed and evolved on Mars or not depends critically on the history of the Martian atmosphere and hydrosphere. The exobiology of Mars is thus inextrically intertwined with the nature of its paleoatmosphere and the ancient state of the planet's regolith, which may still be preserved in the polar caps and underground. Core samples from such sites could answer some of the questions.
Document ID
19890008974
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Pang, Kevin D. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Tsay, Fun-Dow (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1988
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Inst., Workshop on Mars Sample Return Science
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
89N18345
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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