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Planetary exploration: Accomplishments and goals
Author(s) -
Donahue T. M.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg009i002p00437
Subject(s) - astrobiology , mars exploration program , planet , atmosphere (unit) , venus , atmosphere of venus , planetary surface , geology , greenhouse effect , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , physics , astronomy , climate change , global warming , oceanography
Observations from space vehicles have vastly altered our conceptions of Mars and Venus. Mars has changed from an earth‐like planet with water ice caps into a heavily cratered, coreless object whose polar caps are dry ice and whose tenuous atmosphere is CO 2 . Venus has been found to be blanketed by clouds and a dense CO 2 atmosphere that has driven the surface temperature to 700–800°K. Attention is drawn to the practical returns we can expect from comparative studies of these three planets: for understanding of the origins of life, the potential development of a runaway greenhouse effect on earth, and atmospheric circulation.