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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 9, 1962)
SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 9. 1982 B 3 Mariner II May Bring Answers to Some Questions About Universe By GERALD S. SNYDER United Press International New York UPI) Beneath the dense clouds surrounding a mysterious planet millions of miles from Earth may lie key answers to man's ques tions about how the universe was created and how life evolved. OCEAN OF SELTZER WATER In the theory advanced Drawing at right illustrates most popular theory about thn surface of Venus advanced by Astronomer Carl Sagan that the planet is a silent, sweltering desert world. Petri fied rocks heated by 600 degree Fahrenheit temperatures do the lifeless terrain. The sun is visible only as a faint flow through the wind-free clouds. (UPI) by Scientists F. L. Whipple and D. H. Mcnzel, the surface of Venus is covered with an ocean of seltzer water, car bonated by the high carbon dioxide content in the atmos phere. At left is artist's concept of this view of Venus, showing water-filled clouds looming menacingly over the wind-swept, ocean with no sign of terrain anywhere. The answers, a prominent : space physicist said, may be ' found in the vicinity of Venus MEDFOHD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OREGON i . . -.-V.J., f ! S." 1 j .. Tk .' -Su , " t- t , .... s i 1 I . r . " r-i r - ex. I JR.tr :. J.TH.r'ti-) '.Ml I ft". '' V". ' I ; tSaitx 11; , the Earths sister planet now being approached by America's Mariner II space craft. The Mariner and subse quent space probes, he said, may cut through a near in finity of space and time to ex plain some of the most basic questions man has asked since he first became curious about his universe. More of A Puzzler Because of the cloud-like atmosphere which surrounds Venus, it has been more of a puzzler to man than the moon and Mars. For that rea son, scientists the world around anxiously await De cember when the recently launched Mariner hopefully will come within 10,000 miles of Venus. Is there life on Venus? Is it covered by a vast swamp land? Or an ocean? Or swirling dust bowl? Or, as is now mostly commonly believ ed, a fiercely hot, moistureless desert? Mariner may reveal, at least in part, some of the answers. Dr. Robert Jastrow, the brilliant, 37-ycar-o 1 d physicist who heads the Goddard institute for space studies here, says man now knows little about Venus. If it were time to launch a manned exploration, he said, scientists would not know whether to send a plant scientist, a minerolo gist, a petroleum geologist or even a deep sea diver. The space institute, a sub sidiary of the Goddard spate flight center operated by the National Aeronautics and Space administration, is one of the scientific agencies which is carrying out basic research into the mysteries of the universe. Dr. Jastrow said that some of the answers sup plied by Mariner II and its space - voyaging successors may solve the mysteries of life itself. Remarkable Effort "The attack on these mysteries," Dr. Jastrow said, "represents a remark able effort to roll back the 4i billion year history of the solar system and un ravel the tangled complex events accompanying the birlh of planets." If Mariner brings back any information about life in space, he said, it could have a profound effect on medical research and other fundamental problems of science. "Mariner II is the most sophisticated and complex interplanetary spacecraft produced by anyone to my KEY ANSWERS UNDER CLOUDS Beneath the dense clouds surrounding the planet Venus, millions of miles from earth, may lie key answers to man's questions about how the universe was created and how life evolved. These are two artist's concepts of what sort of atmosphere might be found on Venus the earth's sister planet, as it is ap proached by America's Mariner II spacecraft. Discarded at beginning of 20lh century was once-popular view that Venus is a swamp-covered planet inhabited by the same kind of primitive beasts which roamed the earth 500 mil lions years ago, left. The theory is in complete disrepute today, owing to the belief that no life of any kind can exist on blistering hot surface of the planet. Scientists have concluded that the temperatures on Venus range as high as 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Drawing as right presents literally the dimmest view into the nature of the Venus surface, namely the belief that the terrain is a vast, dust shrouded desert absolutely impervious to sunlight and with high winds swirling dust particles through the air. (UPI) knowledge," Dr. Jastrow said. "But even so, it is only a preliminary attack on the investigation into Venus." Little is known for certain about the earth's nearest planetary neighbor, the be spectacled physicist acknowl edged, but scientists believe this to be correct: Venus is about I ho same size as the earth (Venus 7,800 miles in diameter, the Earth 7,926) and the mass and gravi tational field of the two plan ets arc similar. Agree On Little Else Venus' atmosphere con tains carbon dioxide and ni trogen but little free oxygen or water vapor. The surface temperature is thought to be about 600 degree Fahrenheit an impossible heat for any kind of life. Scientists agree on lilllc else about the planet. The state of Venus' cloud-con cealed surface is one of the greatest mysteries. The most popular theory, Dr. Jastrow said, is that of Astronomer Carl Sagan. He believes the planet is a silent, sweltering desert world where petrified rocks heated by 600 degree temperatures dot the lifeless terrain. The sun is visible only as a faint glow through opaque, wind free clouds. Scientisls F. L. Whipple and D. H. Mcnzel advance the theory that Venus is covered by an ocean of seltzer water, carbonated by the high car bon dioxide content in the atmosphere. In their concep tion, water filled clouds loom menacingly over the wind swept ocean with no signs of land or life. Another scientist thinks the ocean may be pe troleum covered. The dimmest view of Venus in terms of the possibility of life is that of another school of scientists who picture the I"3 AlhEsM It persuasively in conversation or before a group DEVELOP CONFIDENCE & ASSURANCE, ABILITY TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE These skills help you gain recognition, make more money fX ATTEND A FREE MEETING 7:30 PM, MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12th DALE CAB9E COUP, in Effective Speaking, Human Relations, Memory Training f $ DALE CARNEGIE A FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT ISE DALE CARNEGIE TRAINING American Inst, of Bankinf, N. Y. Brooklyn lnion Gtt Carrier Enctnrertng rorr. C on n lid ted Vultre Atrcrtft Corp. Curtis Wrtcrtt Corp. 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A once-popular theory, gen erally discarded at the begin ning of the 2ftth century, was that Venus is a swamp-covered planet inhabited by the same kind of primitive beasts which roamed the Earth some 500 million years ago. The ac ceptance of the newer theory that Venus' surface tempera ture is 600 degrees virtually eliminated the possibility of Earth-like life. Venus, in all probability, is a world where life is out of the question. But scien tisls have not ruled out the possibility of some sort of iife lower than lhat which exists on Earth. It has been estimated that there are at least 100 billion planets in the Earth's galaxy and there may be 100 billion galaxies in the universe. Scientisls doubt that in such vaslncss Earth is the only habitable planet. The Mariner shot may re veal whether life is possible on Venus. Subsequent probes deep into space may open similar secrets about Mars and other known planets. The Mariner spacecraft's scientific mission may sub stantiate one or more of Ihc various theories about the makeup of Venus' sur face, or it may produce a new one altogether. An instrument called a microwave radiometer should help to solve these two vital questions: What., is Venus' atmosphere like and what is the tempera ture at its surface? Another thing Mariner may discover is whether Venus is surrounded by cosmic dust, possibly left behind during the forma tion of the solar system billions of years ago. Such questions need to be answered before man can safely venture into the planet's environs. In its 180.200.000-mile trip to the vicinity of Ve nus, Mariner won't dis cover the answers to all of these questions. But, if all goes well and the vehicle comes close to the planet during the second week of December, man will have made his biggest break through in the exploration nf the solar system. The data collected so far ab'iut Venus has been galh errrt at an awesome distance. When the planet is at Its near rt spot to earth, it still is 2H million miles away, and scientists have been unable to .see through the white, cloud likp mays that permanently veils it. "This." Dr. Jaslrnw said, "is one of the main reasons for the confused state of knowledge regarding the structure of the atmosphere of Venus." Viewed through a tele scope, Venus does not show the sharp, well-defined pro file of the moon or Mars. At times, bright patches have been seen and one theory, generally discredited, is that they are mountain peaks showing through breaks In the heavy asmosphcre. Mariner may find out whether there are any breaks in the atmosphere and, if so, how much heat escapes into space. "We are still in the Model T era of scientific investigation of the moon and planets," Dr. Jastrow said. mi HAVE MIT OUR INSURANCE BUSINESS! A series of malicious rumors to the effect that The R. A. HOLMES AGENCY has been sold have been circulated recently. 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