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Interior structure and seasonal mass redistribution of Mars from radio tracking of Mars PathfinderDoppler and range measurements to the Mars Pathfinder lander made using its radio communications system have been combined with similar measurements from the Viking landers to estimate improved values of the precession of Mars' pole of rotation and the variation in Mars' rotation rate. The observed precession of -7576 +/- 35 milliarc seconds of angle per year implies a dense core and constrains possible models of interior composition. The estimated annual variation in rotation is in good agreement with a model of seasonal mass exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and ice caps.
Document ID
20040172833
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Folkner, W. M.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Yoder, C. F.
Yuan, D. N.
Standish, E. M.
Preston, R. A.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
December 5, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 278
Issue: 5344
ISSN: 0036-8075
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
unmanned
long duration
Mars Pathfinder Project
Flight Experiment

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