NASA's Mars rover curiosity to enjoy some good, warm weather, the red planet - and spring has not even had its landing site.
Curious, this is the so-called remote environment monitoring station (REMS), car meteorological station on the measurement of air temperature 43 degrees Fahrenheit (six degrees Celsius) afternoon. The scientists said, and temperature has climbed above the freezing point, in more than half of Mars day, or sol, because REMS is opened.
These measurements are a little surprised, because it is still late winter, the gale crater, curiosity in August 5 on the Mars equator spot 4.5 degrees.
"We see this warm temperatures have during the day is a surprise, very interesting," Philip gomez's the center of the Astrobiologia in Madrid, said in a statement. [7 biggest Mars mystery]
Curiosity main aim is to determine whether the gale area, or ever able to support microbial life. Most researchers think that nowadays Mars too dry cold hold life, as we know it, but if the temperature is significant to climb the spring and summer, they may have to reconsider their hypothesis.
He said: "if this warm development trend in summer, we can even foresee 20 s temperature in Celsius], and from a habitable point of view, this is very exciting," gomez said. "During the daytime, we can see a high enough temperature liquid water on a regular basis, but it is too early to whether will happen or the warm temperature is just a flash in the pan.
Curious day, pleasant climate wise, also cannot say for house night,. The scientists say, the temperature fell sharply, after the sun went down, low dip to minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius) even.
Such a big wave appear, because of the influence of solar energy heating is more obvious, on Mars than on the earth. The red planet's surface drying, its atmosphere is the earth the same thick only 1%.
REMS measuring result also shows that the atmospheric pressure is in the rise of Gail craters, the researchers said. This information is in the mission scientists expectations.
In winter, Mars become cold enough in the poles, frozen carbon dioxide, form the seasonal "ice" hat. Because carbon dioxide dominated the red planet's thin atmosphere, freezing process can lead to pressure change season.
From the previous task model and data forecast, out of curiosity landing pressure in their minimum. This is the probe measurement prove it, in the first three weeks of curiosity on Mars, daily average about 730 PASCAL rose to about 750 PASCAL recently, the researchers said.
"Pressure data shows very obvious diurnal variation of pressure, sol-gel sol quite consistent cycle, said:" the main REMS researchers javier gomez ayr villa. ", the minimum is nearly 685 PASCAL, maximum nearly 780 PASCAL."
Even if is the biggest value is what, we have been used on earth than. In our planet's sea level average pressure for 101325 PASCAL - about 140 times the curiosity meet gale crater inside.
REMS continued in the land in the process, some slight damage, rock played by engine curiosity sky crane lineages stage obviously out wind sensor, the prosperity of the instrument.
However, in other prosperity wind sensor working properly, therefore, mission scientists not expect too much influence.




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