Introduction
Why is Mars important?
What
will we be studying in this course, and what do we hope to achieve?
Mars in the Solar System
Position
and size compared to other planets
Orbital
characteristics, orbital variability, distance to Earth
Exploration
history and future/current missions
Physiography
Topographic
data – how was it acquired?
Hemispheric
dichotomy – age, nature, what caused it?
Impact
basins – nature, size, age, effects
Volcanic
features – Tharsis, Elysium, dikes/grabens
Tectonic
features – wrinkle ridges, Valles Marineris, rift valleys
Fluvial
features – outflow channels, valley networks, gullies
Geological History
Crater
counting and how to use it
Crater
caveats: are the northern plains really young? Is Tharsis?
Noachian/Hesperian/Amazonian
epochs
Plate
tectonics?