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= ABOUT TH **E TEAM** = Evergreen Union School District is a two-school district located in northern Tehama County. We cover a geographic area of approximately 500 square miles and our northern boundary is the Shasta-Tehama County line. We are bordered on the east by the Sacramento River and on the west by the Shasta, Trinity and Tehama boundary. The school district is a kindergarten through eighth grade. We also have two state pre-schools and run a home-school program. Approximately 1,000 students are enrolled in the programs noted.

All members of the 8th grade team must successfully complete a Mars Student Imaging Project through the Mars Education Program at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona in order to participate as an 8th grade team member.

For more information about the Evergreen Earth/Mars Research Team, please visit our team website. https://sites.google.com/a/evergreenusd.org/evergreen-mars-student-imaging-team/

Visit our school webpage. http://www.evergreenusd.com/

**STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE**

= = =** Step 1 - Preliminary Question(s) **=

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How do mud volcanoes on Earth compare to mud volcanoes on Mars? Do mud volcanoes on Earth have the same color,size, and texture as the ones on Mars.

Is there a pattern to where they are found on Earth?

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

**1. RESEARCH QUESTION:** How do mud volcanoes on Earth compare to ones on Mars in size, shape and texture?

**2. SOURCES TO VIEW ASTRONAUT PHOTOS:** Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Gateway to Astronaut Photography = =

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/

**3. LIST OF SPECIFIC DATA TEAM WILL LOG FROM EACH ASTRONAUT PHOTO:** ISSO10-E-20078

**4. HYPOTHESIS:** They seem similar in size, shape and texture based on preliminary observations. They both have gentle slopes, slight depressions in the center, lighter shade than the surrounding area, and features we call little buddies, which are circular features in the surrounding areas. They are not always found in clusters on Earth like they are on Mars, and the little buddies are found on earth but they are dark ,as to them on Mars, in which they are lighter than the surrounding area.

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= = = = =** Step 3 - Background Research **=

**1. IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:** Mud volcanoes, extremophiles, positive relief, and lithosphere

**2. EARTH SYSTEM INFORMATION:** = =

lithosphere and/or geosphere

**3. FORMATION PROCESS:** Gases rise through the sediment, this starts to form a bulge in the ground, clay and water combine to form mud which happens when acidic gases rise through the crust and react with rock to form clay, and eventually after pressurization the mud volcano erupts.] **4. FEATURE DESCRIPTI****N OR CHARACTERISTICS:** They have positive relief, are round or oval, their color is lighter than the surrounding area, and are generally similar in size.

**5. ASTRONAUT IMAGES (2-3) THAT INCLUDE THE FEATURE YOU ARE STUDYING (links, ID#s, or images):** (national geographic.com) new mud volcano erupts from the Arabian Sea

**6. GEOGRAPHIC REGION OF FOCUS** The Middle East **7. IF YOU WILL CONDUCT A PLANETARY COMPARISON, PLEASE EXPLAIN:** We are collecting data on the albido(color), texture, and size, of the mud volcanoes on Earth and compare them to the images on Mars. **8. OTHER DETAILS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR RESEARCH:** We found most of our images in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. = =


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

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

**1. FINAL RESEARCH QUESTION:** How do mud volcanos on Earth compare to ones on Mars in size, shape,and texture?

**2. HYPOTHESIS** **(Include a brief explanation of observations & other knowledge that support this hypothesis):** They seem similar. Based on pictures we have observed they are similar in size, texture, and shape.

**3. IMAGE DATA COLLECTION:** = = Google, Gateway To Astronaut Photography, NASA Earth Observatory

**4. OTHER DATA SETS:**

**5. MEASUREMENTS:**


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

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

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**1.** **MASTER DATA TABLE:** or Circular || Widest: 87.7 m || or Circular || Widest: 1,375m ||
 * Planet || Shape || Width ||
 * Mars || Oval
 * Earth || Oval

**2. NEW DATA REQUEST INFO** = =

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

**1. DATA TABLE(S): Under __each__ data table, list 1-3 observations.** Mud volcanoes on Earth seem similar to ones on Mars in Shape and texture, but size may vary.

**2. GRAPHS: Under __each__ graph, list 1-3 observations.** Mud volcanoes are found close together, usually in small groups or clusters.

**3. MAPS: Under __each__ map, list 1-3 observations.** The map we use for displaying data is on our power point presentation. it has split Mars into sections. We have been looking at mud volcanoes in Acidalia Planitia , which is in box 2D. **4. IMAGE ILLUSTRATIONS: Under __each__ image illustration, list 1-3 observations.** The comparison between Mars mud volcanoes and Earth mud volcanoes is that they are similar in every way except size. Earth mud volcanoes are considerably larger than Mars ones.

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

**1. RESEARCH QUESTION:** How do mud volcanos on Earth compare to the ones on Mars in size, shape, and texture?

**2. HYPOTHESIS:** Based on the pictures we have seen, mud volcanos on earth are similar to ones on Mars in size, shape,and texture. **3. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA:** **DATA ANALYSIS #1:** Mud volcanoes on Mars seem similar to ones on Earth in shape and texture, but size may vary. That they still have very similar characteristics in their shapes and textures, but just a few differences in size.
 * **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:**

Mud volcanoes are usually found close together in small groups or clusters on Earth and Mars. This means that like we thought, most mud volcanoes on Earth and Mars are similar in the patterns that they occur.
 * **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:** They are in the same geographical area in both maps. In 2C on the Mars map it shows the main area that we found mud volcanoes ,and yet in the Middle Eastern area of the Earth map is where we found them here. It is basically the same geographical area.
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**

The Mud volcanoes are found in the same geographical area on both maps.
 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


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

**DATA ANALYSIS #4:**

These mud volcanoes are very similar in the gentleness of their slope but the Earth mud volcano is much larger.
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**

Earth mud volcanoes are larger than Mars mud volcanoes possibly due to size of Mars compared to Earth.
 * ** __INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION: **


 * ** ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION: **
 * Add additional data analysis information as needed.**



One potential error would be giving the wrong coordinates for a mud volcano. Mud volcanoes on Mars could be confused with rootless cones. We cannot check the height of the mud volcanoes on Mars.
 * CONSIDERATION OF ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING YOUR RESEARCH **
 * 1. POTENTIAL ERRORS OR INACCURACIES: **
 * 2. POTENTIAL MISINTERPRETATI **** ONS: **
 * 3. LIMITATIONS OF DATA: **
 * 4. OTHER: **

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

We have concluded that mud volcanoes on Mars are similar to those on earth in shape and texture, but size varies. Our hypothesis was supported in that mud volcanos on Earth are similar to ones on Mars in shape and texture, but the size varies. Since there is proof that mud volcanoes can erupt from water covered, would it be possible for that to happen on Mars?
 * 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): **

Gateway to Astronaut Photography on Earth, Google Images of Mud Volcanoes, National Geographic, NASA Earth Observatory
 * 4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: **


 * 5. REFLECTION OF RESEARCH: **

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

= GLOSSARY: = Mud Volcano- A vent in the earth's surface through which escaping gas and vapor issue, causing mud to boil and occasionally to overflow,forming a conical mound around the vent. Extremophiles- An organism adapted to living in conditions of extreme temperature, pressure, or chemical concentration, as in highlyacidic or salty environments Acidalia Planitia- a plain on Mars. It is located between the Tharsis volcanic province  and Arabia Terra to the north of Valles Marineris.

= BIBLIOGRAPHY: = Google Images Dictionary.com Evidence for Pervasive Mud Volcanism in Acidalia Plantitia, Mars Dorothy Z. Oehler ; Carlton C. Allen EEAB.com

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