NASA NASA to Announce Mars Mystery Liquid water today

[Jupiter5]

I don't doubt what the scientists are aware of, I questioned the quality of the news article as at least one statement there is way too strong given the quoted reference I found so quickly.

Agree,but I doubt everything for many reasons,and one of them is constant lack of adequate short info about statistical tested data, relationship between two or more variables,results of previous researches, and opinions of scientists form the same and closely-related fields.

 

[Hugh Parker]

2] We finally know where to look for Martian Life.

My reply: When Mars had oceans, perhaps life could thrive in lava tunnels under giant volcanoes. Deeper sites mean warmer sites. At what range of depths under the Martian surface are salty waters (if any) currently liquid? At those depths, what are the current partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide?

 

[Mark Harder]

Am I the only one who sees no evidence for LIQUID water NOW on Mars? Perchlorates, OK. Perchlorates are the anions of salts. What is the cationic species in these salts? Important because perchlorates of alkali metals are very soluble in water. So if there was liquid water in their surroundings, they would be in solution, not in crystalline form, complexed water or not. Water soluble minerals occur mostly in dry environments like the Kalihari and Atacama deserts, eg. copper sulfate in the oxidation zones of CuS deposits. The popular press has reported that other runnel-like feature on Mars' surface are evidence that water ONCE was found on Mars. The RSLs are interesting because of their seasonal nature, but is the presence of contemporary surface water the only explanation for them?

 

[DaveC426913]

The popular press has reported that other runnel-like feature on Mars' surface are evidence that water ONCE was found on Mars. The RSLs are interesting because of their seasonal nature, but is the presence of contemporary surface water the only explanation for them?

Seasonal nature means it's there now.
Spectroscopic analysis from the probe has directly detected and identified it as water.

 

[mfb]

Spectroscopic analysis from the probe has directly detected and identified it as water.

They didn't find spectral lines of water (unless I really missed the point) directly, just spectroscopic evidence of chemicals that are directly associated to water "today" (or yesterday or a week ago, but not a million years ago).

 

[DaveC426913]

They didn't find spectral lines of water (unless I really missed the point) directly,

It was my understanding that they had, but it is entirely possible that I am wrong. We should verify.

 

[mfb]

It was my understanding that they had, but it is entirely possible that I am wrong. We should verify.

"Spectral evidence for hydrated salts in recurring slope lineae on Mars"

Here we analyse spectral data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars instrument onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter from four different locations where recurring slope lineae are present. We find evidence for hydrated salts at all four locations in the seasons when recurring slope lineae are most extensive, which suggests that the source of hydration is recurring slope lineae activity. The hydrated salts most consistent with the spectral absorption features we detect are magnesium perchlorate, magnesium chlorate and sodium perchlorate. Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that recurring slope lineae form as a result of contemporary water activity on Mars.

http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2546.html

 

[Mark Harder]

"Spectral evidence for hydrated salts in recurring slope lineae on Mars"http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2546.html

That's how I interpreted the reports - evidence in support of a hypothesis - a carefully worded scientific conclusion. It admits of other unspecified interpretations of the spectral data. Many chemical salts contain so-called 'water of hydration', or water molecules coordinating about the cations of the salt (maybe the anions too, I'm not sure). My guess, and again I haven't read the entire report, is that at some time the magnesium and sodium salts were dissolved in water. When the water dried up, the salts crystallized or precipitated out, taking some proportional ( i.e. stoichiometric) number of water molecules with them. The seasonality of the observations is indeed consistent with that explanation. Furthermore, if one supposes that the salts were crystallized ages ago and remain to this day, then one is left with the need to explain why they appear to be temporary phenomena.

 

[mheslep]

"Spectral evidence for hydrated salts in recurring slope lineae on Mars"http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ngeo2546.html

The title of this thread does not seem justified by the finding you quoted, not in this forum.

 

[mfb]

Just quoting NASA scientists.
"That’s a direct detection of water in the form of hydration of salts", "There pretty much has to have been liquid water recently present to produce the hydrated salt.", "It’s very definitive there is some sort of liquid water"

As always, their results can be interpreted differently by others. Feel free to add those interpretations to the thread.

 

[mheslep]

Just quoting ...scientists.
...

1992 University of Utah press release.

"We hope we'll be able to work with others to develop this into a useable technology for generating heat and power for the world," says Fleischmann. "The process is clean and indications are it will be economical compared to conventional nuclear systems."

 

[mfb]

Just quoting NASA[/color] scientists.

 

[mheslep]

Yes NASA has scientific prestige. So did Pons and Fleischmann. NASA also has a colossal potential conflict of interest by way of desire to promote more Mars missions by stirring public interest and thus enhancing budgets. We avoid possible bias by focus on the detailed findings and not employers.

 

[mfb]

So where is the point?
"X claims Y" is a valid statement, Y is discussed seriously in the scientific community, and it is the main topic of this thread.

 

[at94official]

I am adding a link to the upcoming live stream here, in case there are others who'd like to watch it on Sep 28, 8:30 a.m. PT :
Quote: "The event will also be carried live on: http://www.ustream.tv/NASAJPL"

Well, now you made it impossible for me to resist posting a link to this sketch.

Fantastic as it is! Thanks for this LINK!