[meteorite-list] Why doesn't Mars look like Mars?

[lebofsky at lpl.arizona.edu]

Ed:

The surface rocks on Mars are weathered. Since much of the original iron
did NOT go to the core of Mars, there is lots of iron in the surface rocks
which have weathered, turning the iron to iron oxide -- rust. The rocks
that make it to Earth from Mars are from below the surface, so have not
been oxidized, so are not red.

Larry

On Sun, February 10, 2008 6:35 pm, E.P. Grondine wrote:
> Hi all -
>
>
> Looking at Fectay's really nice martian:
>
>
> http://www.geocities.com/arizonaviking2000/Tucsonshowandparty2008c081.jpg
>
>
> one is left wondering, "Why doesn't Mars look like Mars?" Nothing remotely
> similar shows up in the images the rovers send down.
>
> The answer in short would appear to be that all that
> the rovers are imaging is the surface layer, which is simply loaded with
> impact products, all covered with iron compounds from iron impactors.
>
> So Mars may be the red planet - but only on its
> surface.
>
> E.P. Grondine
> Man and Impact in the Americas
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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