Schiaparelli is an

impact crater An impact crater is a circular depression in the surface of a solid astronomical object formed by the hypervelocity impact of a smaller object. In contrast to volcanic craters, which result from explosion or internal collapse, impact crater ...

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...

, located near the planet's equator at latitude 3° south and longitude 344° in the Sinus Sabaeus quadrangle. It measures approximately 459 kilometers in diameter and was named after Italian astronomer

Giovanni Schiaparelli Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli ( , also , ; 14 March 1835 – 4 July 1910) was an Italian astronomer and science historian. Biography He studied at the University of Turin, graduating in 1854, and later did research at Berlin Observatory, ...

, known for his observations of the Red Planet and his mistranslated term "canali". The name was adopted by IAU's

Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach ...

in 1973.

Description

A crater within Schiaparelli shows many layers that may have formed by the wind, volcanoes, or deposition under water. Layers can be a few meters thick or tens of meters thick. Recent research on these layers suggests that ancient climate change on Mars, caused by regular variation in the planet's tilt, may have caused the patterns in layers. On Earth, similar changes (astronomical forcing) of climate results in ice-age cycles and formation of rhythmites. The regular appearance of rock layers suggests that regular changes in climate may be the root cause. Regular changes in climate may be due to variations of a planet's tilt (called obliquity). The tilt of the Earth's axis changes by only a little more than 2 degrees since the Moon is relatively large. In contrast Mars's tilt varies by tens of degrees. When the tilt is low (current situation on Mars), the poles are the coldest places on the planet, while the equator is the warmest (as on Earth). This could cause gases in the atmosphere, like water and carbon dioxide, to migrate poleward, where they would freeze. When the obliquity is higher, the poles receive more sunlight, causing those materials to migrate away. When

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is trans ...

moves from the Martian poles, the atmospheric pressure increases, possibly causing a difference in the ability of winds to transport and deposit sand. Also, with more water in the atmosphere sand grains may stick and cement together to form layers.

Gallery

Image:Schiaparelli basin crater.jpg, Layers in a crater inside the Schiaparelli basin as seen by MGS. Image:Schiaparelli Crater Layers.JPG, Layers in a crater inside the Schiaparelli basin, as seen by

HiRISE High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is a camera on board the '' Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter'' which has been orbiting and studying Mars since 2006. The 65 kg (143 lb), US$40 million instrument was built under the direction ...

. Image:ESP_025201rings.jpg, Circular structures on floor of Schiaparelli basin, as seen by HiRISE under

HiWish program HiWish is a program created by NASA so that anyone can suggest a place for the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to photograph. It was started in January 2010. In the first few months of the program 3000 people signed up to use HiRIS ...

. Image:25201ringclose.jpg, Close-up of circular structure from previous image. Streaks are also visible. Image:Ancient Layered Rocks in Schiaparelli Crater.jpg, Layers within a crater located in north-western Schiaparelli basin. Image:PIA19914-MarsLandingSite-Ares4Mission-TheMartian-2015Film-20150714.jpg, ESP 046814 1785layerswide.jpg, Wide view of layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE). Part of the picture is degraded. Parts of this image are enlarged in other images that follow. 46814 1785layeredmound.jpg, Layered mound in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) 46814 1785layeredmound2.jpg, Layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) 46814 1785layeredmound3.jpg, Layered mound in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) 46814 1785layeresleft.jpg, Layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) 46814 1785layers2.jpg, Layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) 46814 1785layers3.jpg, Layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) 46814 1785layerscloseleftbottom.jpg, Close view of layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE). Dark sand is visible on some layers. ESP 046814 1785layersclosecolor.jpg, Close, color view of layers in Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE). Dark sand is visible on some layers. File:ESP 054554 1785layers.jpg, Wide view of layers and rough terrain in northwestern Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) File:54554 1785layersclose.jpg, Close view of layers and rough terrain in northwestern Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) File:54554 1785layerspits.jpg, Close view of rough terrain and small pits in northwestern Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) File:54554 1785strangepits.jpg, Close view of rough terrain in northwestern Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE) File:54554 1785strangeridges.jpg, lose view of rough terrain in northwestern Schiaparelli crater (HiRISE)

Location on Mars

In popular culture

In the 2011 novel '' The Martian'' by

Andy Weir Andrew Taylor Weir (born June 16, 1972) is an American novelist and former computer programmer. His 2011 novel '' The Martian'' was adapted into the 2015 film of the same name directed by Ridley Scott. He received the John W. Campbell Award fo ...

, and the 2015 feature film adapted from it, Schiaparelli is the landing site for Ares 4, the fourth crewed mission to Mars. The protagonist, Mark Watney, an astronaut from Ares 3 who is stranded on Mars, must travel from Acidalia Planitia to Schiaparelli, a journey of .

References

External links