Home Page of Dr. David A. Roffman (PhD, Physics)

MarsCorrect.Com Portal: The Mars-related articles on this DavidARoffman.Com site often require update in light of new findings from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover. I do my best to keep this material current, but while I work on my PhD in solid state physics I don’t always have the time required to update the Mars articles. As such, since the end of March 2014 my father has been updating these particular articles and posting them on his site at MarsCorrect.Com. See The Table of Contents there and its links. Where differences exist between what is written there and what is found there, use the data at the newer site, however please be aware that my father may at times make some assertions about data interpretation that I have not yet seen, or do not agree with. Questions about information found there should be sent to him at MarsCorrect@gmail.com. 

MARS CORRECT: CRITIQUE OF ALL NASA MARS WEATHER DATA Note: Earlier versions of this report went under the titles of Martian Air Pressures Are far Higher Than NASA Asserts and also Higher Than Advertised Martian Air Pressure. This 880-page report was published on May 18, 2016.     

Mars Society Presentation PowerPoint Summary of HIGHER THAN ADVERTISED MARTIAN AIR PRESSURE - Part 1 by David. Roffman. Posted September 9, 2012. Note - this is not as up to date as  the PowerPoint version of MARS CORRECT: Critique of All NASA Mars Weather Data. This presentation was uploaded on November 30, 2015.

 CRITIQUE OF ALL NASA MARS WEATHER DATA

By Barry S. Roffman (BarrySRoffman@GMail.Com)

Technical Advice by David A. Roffman (DavidARoffman.GMail.Com)

(July 13, 2016)

ABSTRACT: We present evidence that NASA is seriously understating Martian air pressure. Our 6 year study critiques 1,388 Sols (2 over full Martian years) of highly problematic MSL Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REM) weather data, and offers an in depth audit of over 8,311 hourly Viking 1 and 2 weather reports. We discuss analysis of technical papers, NASA documents, and personal interviews of transducer designers. We troubleshoot pressures based on radio occultation/spectroscopy, and the small pressure ranges that could be measured by Viking (18 mbar), Pathfinder and Phoenix (12 mbar), and MSL (11.5 mbar). For MSL there was a mean pressure of 11.49 mbar measured on its Sol 370. When we made an issue of it with JPL, it was revised to 8.65 mbar. The REMS Team then published pressures of 11.77 mbar (for Sol 1,160) and 12 mbar (for Sol 1,161). Again we made an issue of it again it, and they revised the figures to 8.98 and 8.97 mbar respectively. When they asserted a pressure 1154Pa for Sol 1,301, we challenged it and they revised it to 752 Pa. In fact we demonstrate that JPL/REMS weather data was frequently revised after they studied critiques in working versions of this report and on our websites at http://marscorrect.com and http://davidaroffman.com.

Vikings and MSL showed consistent timing of daily pressure spikes. We link this to how gas pressure in a sealed container would vary with Absolute temperature, to heating by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), and to dust clots at air access tubes and dust filters. Pathfinder, Phoenix and MSL wind measurement failures are disclosed. Phoenix and MSL pressure transducer design problems are highlighted with respect to confusion about dust filter location, and lack of information about nearby heat sources due to International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR). NASA could not replicate dust devils at 10 mbar. Rapidly filled MER Spirit tracks required wind speeds of 80 mph at the assumed low pressures. These winds were never recorded on Mars. Nor could NASA explain drifting Barchan sand dunes. Based on the above and dust devils on Arsia Mons to altitudes of 17 km above areoid (Martian equivalent of sea level), spiral storms with 10 km eye-walls above Arsia Mons, dust storm opacity, snow at Phoenix, excessive aero braking, liquid water running on the surface in numerous locations at Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) and stratus clouds 13 km above areoid, we argue for an average pressure at areoid of ~511 mbar rather than the accepted 6.1 mbar. This pressure grows to 1,050 mbar in the Hellas Basin.

PowerPoint Summary of HIGHER THAN ADVERTISED MARTIAN AIR PRESSURE - PART 2 by Barry S. Roffman.  Posted August 18, 2011.

ABSTRACT FOR PART 2 by Barry S. Roffman (November 6, 2012): After a cursory review of the Viking Project Data it became apparent that an extensive audit was imperative. The Viking Project Data did not seem to explain weather phenomena (spiral clouds over Arsia Mons, dust devils, etc.) clearly seen on Mars. A general discussion of the problems is offered in the Basic Report by David Roffman. The data audit results are presented in seven Annexes. The Viking Project data divides every Martian day into 25 time-bins (hours), each ~59 minutes long. Annex A (Viking 1 sols 1 to 350) and Annex B (Viking 2 sols 156 to 361) emphasize how pressures change during morning time-bins that correspond to 0630 to 0830. A simple formula, Pressure predicted = (6.51 mbar*255.77 K)/Temperature K measured, was often correct for 0730. Annex C examines how often the pressure sensor did not work (stuck or no pressures) between Viking 2 sols 639 and 799. Annex D examines the percent differences between hourly predictions and reported pressures for Viking 1 from sols 1 to 350. Annex E focuses on predictions and reported pressures for the 0.3 (0730) and .34 (0830) time-bins. Annex F maps out the best and worst prediction times each day, clearly proving the influence of the RTG heaters on hourly pressure reports. Annex G shows what went wrong in the transducer selection and testing process. These Annexes provide hard evidence that the Tavis pressure transducers used for the Vikings (and Pathfinder) likely jammed with dust during the landing process. The meaning of this is that it is doubtful that they ever measured ambient pressure conditions of Mars.  There is evidence that all subsequent attempts to measure pressure were colored by the reported Viking results. Problems with Phoenix pressures based on a Vaisala transducer are discussed in the Basic Report. Annex I discusses the the initial pressure results in from the MSL with a focus on its sols 15 to 87 (Ls 158.8 to 199.8) which occurred between August 22 and November 3, 2012.

BASIC REPORT FOR MARS CORRECT: CRITIQUE OF ALL NASA MARS WEATHER DATA

PowerPoint Summary of HIGHER THAN ADVERTISED MARTIAN AIR PRESSURE - Part 1 by David. Roffman. Posted September 9, 2012. 

PowerPoint Summary of HIGHER THAN ADVERTISED MARTIAN AIR PRESSURE - PART 2 by Barry S. Roffman.  Posted August 18, 2011.

MY NOTES FOLLOW FOR THE TEXTBOOK FRONTIERS  IN PROPULSION SCIENCE (Edited by Marc G. Millis and Eric M. Davis; published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.). The book, hereafter referred to only as The Textbook, provides up to date information for engineering physics as it relates to spaceship propulsion. Originally I posted questions (highlighted in red) to pursue at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where I earned a B.S. in space physics. However, it only took me 5 semesters to earn my B.S., and much of that time was spent researching the density of the Martian atmosphere. This means that some of the questions remain to be addressed as I pursue a PhD in physics.