The data collected from Pathfinder’s 1997 Mars visit suggested that the Martian soil contained more iron than its rocks. According to Albert Yen of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the iron oxide-rich soil covering the surface of the planet was a result of iron meteorite impacts. Another theory suggests that the harder basalt rocks containing feldspar would have eroded the softer basalt to create fine dust particles. The Martian basalt rock has higher concentration of iron than the basalt rocks of Earth.
Scientists believe that fine particles of iron oxide (or red dust, in layman’s terms) cover surface and is present in its atmosphere—often plunging the entire planet into darkness. However, it is very important to have precise knowledge of the mineralogy and composition of the planet. Only then scientists can comprehend the evolution and structure of its surface environment and interaction with the atmosphere.
A question like “why is Mars red” can only be answered with the help of new missions and sophisticated instrumentation. Advanced computer models and earth-bound simulators are also required to pierce through mysteries. Dr. Merrison, of the Aarhus Mars Simulation Laboratory, believes that the dusty nature of Mars can be revealed through “accurate simulating and developing better analogues of the Martian environment.”
