Solar System Astronomy

4.

Terrestrial Planets: Inner Solar System

4.1.

4.1.1.

Orbital Characteristics

4.1.1.1.

High Orbital Eccentricity

4.1.1.2.

Perihelion Precession

4.1.1.3.

3:2 Spin-Orbit Resonance

4.1.1.4.

Extreme Temperature Variations

4.1.2.

Physical Properties

4.1.2.1.

4.1.2.2.

Density and Composition

4.1.2.3.

Large Iron Core

4.1.3.

Surface Features and Geology

4.1.3.1.

Impact Crater Populations

4.1.3.2.

4.1.3.3.

4.1.3.4.

4.1.3.5.

Volcanic History

4.1.4.

Tenuous Atmosphere

4.1.4.1.

Exospheric Composition

4.1.4.2.

Sodium and Potassium Detection

4.1.4.3.

Atmospheric Loss Processes

4.1.5.

4.1.5.1.

Weak Dipolar Field

4.1.5.2.

Core Dynamo Mechanism

4.1.6.

Exploration History

4.1.6.1.

Mariner 10 Mission

4.1.6.2.

MESSENGER Mission

4.1.6.3.

BepiColombo Mission

4.2.

4.2.1.

Orbital and Rotational Properties

4.2.1.1.

Retrograde Rotation

4.2.1.2.

Slow Rotation Period

4.2.1.3.

Synchronous Rotation Hypothesis

4.2.2.

Atmospheric Characteristics

4.2.2.1.

Dense Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere

4.2.2.2.

Extreme Surface Pressure

4.2.2.3.

Runaway Greenhouse Effect

4.2.2.4.

Sulfuric Acid Cloud Layers

4.2.2.5.

Atmospheric Circulation

4.2.3.

Surface Conditions

4.2.3.1.

Extreme Surface Temperature

4.2.3.2.

Volcanic Landscape

4.2.3.3.

Impact Crater Distribution

4.2.4.

Geological Features

4.2.4.1.

Volcanic Structures

4.2.4.1.1.

Shield Volcanoes

4.2.4.1.2.

4.2.4.1.3.

4.2.4.2.

Tectonic Features

4.2.4.2.1.

4.2.4.2.2.

Tessera Terrain

4.2.4.2.3.

Deformation Patterns

4.2.5.

Exploration Missions

4.2.5.1.

Soviet Venera Program

4.2.5.2.

Magellan Radar Mapping

4.2.5.3.

4.3.

4.3.1.

Planetary Characteristics

4.3.1.1.

Optimal Distance from Sun

4.3.1.2.

Moderate Greenhouse Effect

4.3.1.3.

Liquid Water Abundance

4.3.2.

Internal Structure

4.3.2.1.

Layered Interior

4.3.2.1.1.

4.3.2.1.2.

4.3.2.1.3.

4.3.2.1.4.

4.3.2.2.

Plate Tectonics

4.3.2.2.1.

Lithospheric Plates

4.3.2.2.2.

Plate Boundaries

4.3.2.2.3.

Seafloor Spreading

4.3.2.2.4.

Subduction Zones

4.3.3.

Atmospheric System

4.3.3.1.

Atmospheric Composition

4.3.3.2.

Atmospheric Layers

4.3.3.2.1.

4.3.3.2.2.

4.3.3.2.3.

4.3.3.2.4.

4.3.3.3.

Weather and Climate

4.3.3.4.

Greenhouse Effect Balance

4.3.4.

4.3.4.1.

4.3.4.2.

4.3.4.3.

Ice Caps and Glaciers

4.3.5.

4.3.5.1.

Magnetic Field Generation

4.3.5.2.

Van Allen Radiation Belts

4.3.5.3.

Auroral Phenomena

4.3.5.4.

Solar Wind Interaction

4.3.6.

4.3.6.1.

Formation Theories

4.3.6.1.1.

Giant Impact Hypothesis

4.3.6.1.2.

4.3.6.1.3.

4.3.6.1.4.

Co-accretion Theory

4.3.6.2.

Lunar Structure

4.3.6.2.1.

Differentiated Interior

4.3.6.2.2.

Crust Composition

4.3.6.2.3.

Mare and Highland Regions

4.3.6.3.

Surface Features

4.3.6.3.1.

4.3.6.3.2.

Maria (Lunar Seas)

4.3.6.3.3.

Highland Regions

4.3.6.3.4.

Rilles and Wrinkle Ridges

4.3.6.4.

Orbital Characteristics

4.3.6.4.1.

4.3.6.4.2.

Orbital Evolution

4.3.6.4.3.

Libration Effects

4.3.6.5.

Lunar Phases and Eclipses

4.3.6.5.1.

4.3.6.5.2.

4.3.6.5.3.

4.3.6.6.

Tidal Effects on Earth

4.3.6.6.1.

4.3.6.6.2.

4.3.6.6.3.

Day Length Changes

4.4.

4.4.1.

Physical Characteristics

4.4.1.1.

Size and Mass Comparison

4.4.1.2.

Axial Tilt and Seasons

4.4.1.3.

Day Length Similarity to Earth

4.4.2.

Atmospheric Properties

4.4.2.1.

Thin Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere

4.4.2.2.

Low Surface Pressure

4.4.2.3.

Temperature Variations

4.4.2.4.

Dust Storm Phenomena

4.4.2.5.

Seasonal Changes

4.4.3.

Surface Features and Geology

4.4.3.1.

Dichotomy Between Hemispheres

4.4.3.2.

Volcanic Regions

4.4.3.2.1.

4.4.3.2.2.

Tharsis Volcanic Province

4.4.3.2.3.

4.4.3.3.

4.4.3.3.1.

Valles Marineris

4.4.3.3.2.

Formation Mechanisms

4.4.3.4.

4.4.3.4.1.

Crater Populations

4.4.3.4.2.

Preservation States

4.4.3.5.

4.4.3.5.1.

4.4.3.5.2.

Seasonal CO2 Frost

4.4.3.5.3.

Layered Deposits

4.4.4.

Evidence for Past Water Activity

4.4.4.1.

Valley Networks

4.4.4.2.

Outflow Channels

4.4.4.3.

Delta Formations

4.4.4.4.

Hydrated Mineral Deposits

4.4.4.5.

Subsurface Ice Detection

4.4.5.

Current Water Inventory

4.4.5.1.

4.4.5.2.

4.4.5.3.

Atmospheric Water Vapor

4.4.5.4.

Seasonal Frost Cycles

4.4.6.

4.4.6.1.

4.4.6.1.1.

Orbital Characteristics

4.4.6.1.2.

Surface Features

4.4.6.1.3.

4.4.6.1.4.

Origin Theories

4.4.6.2.

4.4.6.2.1.

Orbital Properties

4.4.6.2.2.

Surface Characteristics

4.4.6.2.3.

Comparison with Phobos

4.4.7.

Exploration History

4.4.7.1.

Early Flyby Missions

4.4.7.2.

4.4.7.3.

Mars Pathfinder

4.4.7.4.

Mars Exploration Rovers

4.4.7.5.

Mars Science Laboratory

4.4.7.6.

Mars 2020 Perseverance

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