What Happened to Mars Atmosphere?

Mars is the 4th planet from Sun In our solar system. It is the only Planet other Than Earth that is in the Habitable zone and It is also believed that Mars Had an Atmosphere similar to Earth in the Past.

Present Atmospheric conditions of Mars:

Let us Take a look at the Present Atmospheric conditions of Mars:

1. Mars' atmosphere is 100 times thinner than our Earth Atmosphere. 95% is comprised of carbon dioxide
2. Breakdown of Mars Atmosphere composition:

• Carbon dioxide: 95.3%
• Temperature Ranges from 20°C(which is Ideal for the existence of life) to -100°C.
• Nitrogen: 2.7%
• Argon: 1.6%
• Oxygen: 0.13%
• Carbon monoxide: 0.08%
• Minor amounts Of  Hydrogen-deuterium-oxygen, xenon, nitrogen oxide, neon, krypton, and Water

In Such an Atmosphere with Poisonous gases, A Person without space-suite will Die Within Minutes.

Why the planet on which life should be existing is now a Desert???

Why the planet on which Rivers should be flowing and Full of Greenery is now a Dead planet??

Read on To get Answers...

COMPARE WITH EARTH:

Now let us Compare Mars with Earth to get the Physical idea about Mars.

• Size of Mars is almost Half to the Size of Earth.
• Mass of Mars is 10 times lesser than the Mass of Earth.
• Gravity on Mars is 38% of Gravity on Earth. Which means an object of weight 100 Kg on Earth Weighs only 38 kg on Mars.
• Mars is Having Two Moons. Namely, Phobos and Deimos

MAVEN(Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) 

On November 18, 2013, NASA launched MAVEN to Mars. On September 14,2014, This spacecraft started orbiting Mars Elliptically 150 km above the Mars surface.

From the data that MAVEN Sent to Earth, scientists were able to Predict the Answer to How Mars Lost Its Atmosphere? In 2015 NASA explained How Mars became a dead planet?

Let us Look into that...

How Mars Lost Its Atmosphere (Effect of Solar Winds).

While Maven was studying the Surface of Mars, Scientists Identified Dried Water Beds which confirmed that water existed previously on mars which inturn again Confirms for the Existence of Atmosphere on Mars.

Mars dried river beds

For a period of 500 million years, Mars Had Oceans, rivers, rains, and Mountains on its surface. Which supported the Existence of Life.

Due to its low Mass And Gravitational Force, Mars Could not generate Strong Magnetic fields. 

Solar winds

At one point of time, Solar winds(The solar wind is a stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun) to blow vigorously. These solar winds are Highly composed of Protons. these solar winds move with very speed(around 450 km/hr). Since these Winds were blowing with such a High speed, These particles were able to Escape from Mars Gravity. Mars Atmosphere started losing itself around 100 grams per second.

solar winds

Escaping Ions simulation

Due to the Particles in the solar winds, Hydrogen and oxygen particles were separated from the molecules of water(H20).

In this way, Water got evaporated from the surface of Mars. 

Not just solar winds, solar flares have also Affected mars very much.

Due to its weak Magnetic field Solar winds affected Mars a lot. Due to its weak Gravitational field, it could not hold its atmosphere.

In this way, Mars' surface slowly became a desert and after Millions of years, it became a dead planet.

Due to its High Mass Earth was able to create strong Magnetic and Gravitational fields. so that only Earth did not lose its atmosphere while Mars was.

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