The Fourth International Conference on Mars

Abstract

This dedicated issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research contains papers dealing with all aspects of Martian science. The impetus for the issue was the Fourth International Conference on Mars, held in Tucson on January 10–13, 1990. The third conference had been held 7 years earlier (see Journal of Geophysical Research , 87 (B12), 1982); in the intervening time period, significant new analysis of the existing data has taken place, and further robotic exploration of Mars has been both planned and carried out. The papers contained in this issue reflect the mature nature of our understanding of the Martian environment, and they contain new results that significantly affect our view of the planet.