O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> O-> . --. THE INTERNATIONAL MARS WATCH ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER . ..../ | -------------------------------------------------- :::::: :::::: Volume 1; Issue 2 (file imw.mar94) :::: 23 March 1994 <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O <-O SUBJECT Line Number ------------------------------------------------------- ------------ Introductory remarks 21 Observing deadlines and facility instrument status 35 Observing plans 51 Ephemerides and/or Satellite Orbital Elements 79 Recent Results 104 Ongoing controversies 149 ************************************************************************ INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ************************************************************************ This is the second issue of the International Mars Watch Electronic Newsletter. The response to the announcements has been good, and there are currently over 50 persons on the IMW email list. Unfortunately, there has been little or no feedback or discussion on most of the issues raised in the first newsletter, although most people seemed to feel that the concept of a forum to exchange information between Mars observers is a good idea. It is apparent that we're still feeling our way around in this endeavor... As we start getting into the apparition, the hope is that people will begin to interact a bit more. ************************************************************************ OBSERVING DEADLINES AND FACILITY INSTRUMENT STATUS ************************************************************************ Observatory Deadline Telescope and Time Period ----------- ----------- -------------------------------------------- MKO April 1 NASA/IRTF, for Aug. 1994 to Jan. 1995 April 30 CSO, for Jul-Dec 1994 May 31 U. Hawaii 2.2m and 0.6m, for Aug-Nov 1994 ----- IRTF NSFCAM: New CVFs from 1.5 to 5.5 microns (R=60 to 110) will be coming on line after the observatory reopens in April. Details are provided in the latest IRTF newsletter (access via IRTF online by anonymous ftp to 128.171.2.5). ************************************************************************ OBSERVING PLANS ************************************************************************ From: PBJ@utphya.phya.utoledo.edu (Phil James) We are planning to use the Hubble Space Telescope (WF/PC II) to monitor Mars during the current opposition. We have a global (3 side) sequence at opposition and are monitoring Syrtis region every 15 degrees of Ls. We are using filters 255W, 336W, 410M, 502N, and 673N in order to observed interannual variability in the atmosphere and surface albedo features. We were cut fairly hard on time, and we have therefore limited ourselves to those filters. But the quality I expect for the new images should make it a worthwhile enterprise. (Phil reports that the first HST Mars observations should occur in August, as soon as the planet is more than 50 degrees from the Sun. --ed.) ----- From: jimbo@anarchy.arc.nasa.gov (Jim Bell) Myself, Ken Herkenhoff, and Leonard Martin have initiated a program of amateur-professional collaboration on Mars observing. It is called the Amateur Marswatch Project, and we've written a short blurb about it that should appear in Astronomy and Sky & Tel later this spring. I'd be glad to email a copy to anyone interested, particularly if you have contacts with any serious amateur astronomers in local clubs or small colleges. Several companies have been identified that produce good quality glass UVBRI filter sets for $50-$100 each, well within the price range of most serious amateur observers. ************************************************************************ EPHEMERIDES AND/OR SATELLITE ORBITAL ELEMENTS ************************************************************************ From: rsimpson@magellan.stanford.edu (Richard Simpson) There was a note in the LPI Bulletin (Aug 93) about a package called MICA for the PC or Mac. It's put out by the USNO and distributed through NTIS. Floppies plus manual cost $55 plus shipping, but once you've got a copy there don't seem to be any prohibitions on further distribution. It provides essentially the same information as the published Astronomical Almanac (Blue Book) except that it covers 10 years and can be personalized (topocentric, your choice of time intervals, etc.). I've not used mine for any calculations that were critical for an observation, but it's been very handy for general planning, checking results of other calculations, predicting sunset, and searching for the time of the next full moon. ----- Just a reminder that both Fred Espenak and Jim Bell have general purpose ephemeris programs available to assist in planning Mars observations. Details were provided in the last IMW newsletter ************************************************************************ RECENT RESULTS ************************************************************************ ----- Mars Sessions at the 1994 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference: There were 44 oral and 40 poster presentations dealing with Mars during this year's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston. Topics included geomorphology, geophysics, remote sensing, and surface/interior composition. Abstracts were published in the LPSC XXV volume, which is available from the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. ----- Recent Mars-related papers published: ICARUS: "Radar-derived topography of low southern latitudes of Mars," J.M. Goldspiel et al., Icarus, 106, 346-364, 1993. "'Softened' impact craters on Mars: Implications for ground ice and the structure of the Martian megaregolith," D.G. Jankowski and S.W. Squyres, Icarus, 106, 365-379, 1993. "An unusual spectral unit in west Candor Chasma: Evidence for aqueous or hydrothermal alteration in the Martian canyons," P.E. Geissler et al., Icarus, 106, 380-391, 1993. "A coupled soil-atmosphere model of H2O2 on Mars," M.A. Bullock et al., Icarus, 107, 142-154, 1994. JGR-PLANETS: "State of stress, faulting, and eruption characteristics of large volcanoes on Mars", P.J. McCovern and S.C. Solomon, JGR, 98, 23553-23580, 1993. "Topography of Apollinaris Patera and Ma'adim Vallis: Automated extraction of digital elevation models," G.D. Thornhill et al., JGR, 98, 23581- 23588, 1993. "Thermal studies of Martian channels and valleys using Termoskan data," B.H. Betts and B.C. Murray, JGR, 99, 1983-1996, 1994. "Mars aeolian sand: Regional variations among dark-hued crater floor features," K.S. Edgett and P.R. Christensen, JGR, 99, 1997-2018. "Topography of Valles Marineris: Implications for erosional and structural history," B.K. Lucchitta et al., JGR, 99, 3783-3798. OTHER: "Meteorological variability and the annual surface pressure cycle on Mars", Hourdin, F., P. Le Van, F. Forget and O. Talagrand, J. Atmos. Sci., 21, 3625-3640, 1993. ************************************************************************ ONGOING CONTROVERSIES ************************************************************************ A question was raised: > Does anyone besides me get irked when you hear the dark regions of > Mars described as "gray"? Certainly they are less red, but gray?? Any > ideas about where this terminology came from? From: Roger N. Clark Visually through the telescope, the dark regions aften look green, so just be glad thay are not called greenish areas! They are really a dark red, but the eye, especially when faced with the contrast of the bright red regions, makes the dark areas seem less red, and thus more gray. So according to visual perception, gray is ok to me. (I simply call them dark regions). Roger Clark ************************************************************************ Editor: Jim Bell NASA Ames Research Center Space Sciences Division, M/S 245-3 Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 phone: 415-604-0324 fax: 415-604-6779 email: jimbo@anarchy.arc.nasa.gov ---------------------------END--------------------------------------