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Originally posted by bossman20081@Aug 5 2005, 09:39 PM
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I am of the opinion this will reveal a surprisingly thin upper atmosphere, and even more surprisingly, greater anomalies than mapped at 300 km.
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What makes you say that?
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Many many things, but focusing on gravity anomally maps: The 300 km mapping does not jive well with mapping at higher altitudes - The anomalies appear greater. To a degree this should be expected because of the higher resolution, but as of now, there appears to be an -unphysical (unmodelable)- wavelength bias.
There are also discrepancies in the Martian center-of-inertia, depending upon whether orbiter or landing-site data are preferentially weighted.
Cassini scientists cannot resolve the molecular head count with the drag force experienced on passes near Titan. Will we find this true on Mars as well?
The parachute drag forces on the Viking and Pathfinder landers have proven very difficult - actually impossible - to model, and we are still waiting for EDL data from Spirit and Opportunity.
All of this is very curious...but is it systematic? MRO should help us pin down the elusive martian atmospheric and gravitational quirks.