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toc = Klein High School Mars Team =

= ABOUT THE TEAM =



For the last eight years, Mars Teams here at Klein High School Astronomy Club have worked with the Mars education staff and scientists at the Mars Space Flight Facility at ASU through the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP).

We are the only high school group in the nation to have regularly presented our findings at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) which brings together more than 2000 scientists from space science institutions, universities, and industry the world over.

Our Mars Team includes students in grades 9 through 12. Students often participate year after year, and this gives our teams "institutional memory," that is, the experienced students pass on their knowledge to the new students.

Previous teams have published six abstracts, and presented their findings at poster sessions at the LPSC. Here are some "links" to our history:

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**STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE**

= = =** Step 1 - Preliminary Question(s) **= Our team debated several topics based upon research and areas of interest. Although our questions primarily address Mars, we hope to use Earth images to help us characterize similar features on Mars. This cannot function specifically as a "control," but as a beginning point of reference. These are the questions we debated:

1. Are yardangs in the Medusa Fossae Region similar in aeolian characteristics and in lithography to the characteristics of yardangs in other equatorial regions of Mars? 2. Does the ratio of the major and minor axes of yardangs correlate with the position of the yardangs with respect to wind direction in Medusa Fossae region on Mars? 3. Do the characteristics of a yardang reveal the nature of its morphology: either depositional or erosional?

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 2 - Initial Observations **=

**RESEARCH QUESTION:**

Our proposed question:

Does the ratio of the major and minor axes of yardangs correlate with the position of the yardangs with respect to wind direction in the Medusa Fossae region on Mars?

**SOURCES TO VIEW ASTRONAUT PHOTOS:** The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ Earth From Space http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/EFS/mm.htm

**LIST OF SPECIFIC DATA TEAM WILL LOG FROM EACH PHOTO:**
 * Mars THEMIS Images ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Image ID || Latitude || Longitude || Orientation || Major Axis || Minor Axis || Ratio ||
 * V06646020 || 0.483276 || 211.9303 || 130.546 || 3.2 || 0.5 || 6.4 ||
 * V06646020 || 0.406738 || 211.97168 || 131.242 || 2.81 || 0.5 || 5.62 ||
 * V06646020 || 0.414185 || 211.93274 || 125.229 || 7.48 || 0.4 || 18.7 ||
 * V06646020 || 0.369019 || 212.09583 || 128.661 || 5.93 || 0.74 || 8.013514 ||
 * V06646020 || 0.30127 || 212.05066 || 130.47 || 5.44 || 0.6 || 9.066667 ||
 * V18078024 || 4.532105 || 210.42969 || 127.548 || 1.4 || 0.243 || 5.761317 ||
 * V18078024 || 4.532105 || 210.42969 || 116.63693 || 1 || 0.37 || 2.702703 ||
 * V18078024 || 4.476013 || 210.35657 || 120.456 || 0.728 || 0.235 || 3.097872 ||
 * V18078024 || 4.476013 || 210.35657 || 114.086633 || 0.727 || 0.23 || 3.16087 ||
 * V18078024 || 4.495728 || 210.40686 || 130.213479 || 0.661 || 0.21 || 3.147619 ||
 * Earth Astronaut Images ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ISS020-E-9266 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * STS040-17-26 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ISS020-E-9266 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * STS040-17-26 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

**HYPOTHESIS:**

The ratio of the major and minor axes of yardangs should correlate with the position of the yardangs with respect to wind direction in the Medusa Fossae region on Mars. Discussion: If we select areas on Mars which have varying wind, geographical, and lithographical characteristics for study, then we should notice a trend in the ratios in respect to wind direction. We should see high major to minor ratios or low major to minor ratios, determining laminar and turbulent flows, as well as, showing a map of sedimental flow throughoutt the Medusa Fossae region.

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 3 - Background Research **= Yardangs are wind-abraded ridges found in desert environments, and these features typically resemble an overturned boat hull. On Earth, yardangs are composed of silt and sand, normally found in most deserts. On Mars, the Medusa Fossae Formation is a region on Mars that is abundant with many intriguing land formations but none more interesting than its many yardangs. Yardangs are most commonly found near the equator of Mars, but they do reside in other regions on Mars although not in such large numbers. Aeolian processes on Mars are the greatest determining factors of the characteristics of yardangs. This would suggest that if two yardangs are very similar but very distant from each other, then the Aeolian processes that are in each region could also be similar. This being said there are more determining factors than just Aeolian processes. The lithography, erosion rates, and topography of Mars are also great determining factors of the characteristics of yardangs. Accounting for these factors for Medussa Fossae as well as other regions could provide an analysis of the comparison between two different regions. Since it would seem that Earth, like Mars is a layered planet, there are implications that the factors which affect the geology of Earth also affect the geology of Mars.

**ASTRONAUT IMAGES (2-3) THAT INCLUDE THE FEATURE YOU ARE STUDYING (links, ID#s, or images):** **GEOGRAPHIC REGION OF FOCUS:** On Mars: the Medusa Fossae Formation On Earth: deserts in Chad and Namibia

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 4 - Experiment Design **=

**1. FINAL RESEARCH QUESTION:**

**2. HYPOTHESIS** **(Include a brief explanation of observations & other knowledge that support this hypothesis):**

**3. IMAGE DATA COLLECTION:**

**4. OTHER DATA SETS:**

**5. MEASUREMENTS:**


 * Keep track of your sources in your bibliography.**

= = = = = = = = = = = = =** Step 5 - Collect and Compile Data **=

**1. MASTER DATA TABLE:**

**2. NEW DATA REQUEST INFO:**

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =** Step 6 - Display Data **=

**1. DATA TABLE(S): Under __each__ data table, list 1-3 observations.**

**2. GRAPHS: Under __each__ graph, list 1-3 observations.**

**3. MAPS: Under __each__ map, list 1-3 observations.**

**4. IMAGE ILLUSTRATIONS: Under __each__ image illustration, list 1-3 observations.**

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =** Step 7 - Analyze and Interpret Data **=

**1. RESEARCH QUESTION:**

**2. HYPOTHESIS:**

**3. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #1:**
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


 * **ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #2:**
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


 * **ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #3:**
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


 * **ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #4:**


 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * ** __INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION: **


 * ** ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION: **


 * Add additional data analysis information as needed.**


 * CONSIDERATION OF ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING YOUR RESEARCH **
 * 1. POTENTIAL ERRORS OR INACCURACIES: **


 * 2. POTENTIAL MISINTERPRETATIONS: **


 * 3. LIMITATIONS OF DATA: **


 * 4. OTHER: **

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 8 - Draw Conclusions **=


 * 1. SUMMARIZE CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION: **


 * 2. SUMMARIZE INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER YOUR HYPOTHESIS WAS REFUTED OR SUPPORTED? **


 * 3. NEWLY SPARKED RESEARCH QUESTION(S): **


 * 4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: **


 * 5. REFLECTION OF RESEARCH: **

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 9 - Share Research **=

= GLOSSARY =

= BIBLIOGRAPHY = Erosional Progressions in the Medussa Fossae Formation, Mars []

Analysis of the Elysium Region, Mars (includes a good description of MFF) []

The MFF: Mapping the Origins []

Interpreting Remote Sensing Data (includes good charts for identifying features) []

Tharsis… (this article includes a paragraph about MFF compared to other smaller areas of yardangs around the planet) []

The Trade Winds of Mars []

Characteristics and possible genetic link between dust aggregate bedforms and yardangs as seen by the HiRise camera []

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[|http://www.themis.asu.edu]

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http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov

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