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http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/03/02/mars.findings/index.html
p.s. Thanks to Evo for the heads-up on this.
p.s. Thanks to Evo for the heads-up on this.
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NASA scientists say the Mars rovers have found what they were looking for -- hard evidence that the red planet was once "soaking wet."
Originally posted by Njorl
It will be interesting to see speculation about what happened to the water. Underground lakes? Absorbed into rocks? Evaporated, hydrolyzed and lost to space?
Njorl
The most likely is permafrost, which is at, or close to, the surface pole-ward of ~60o to ~80o, and is increasingly deep at lower latitudes. How deep is the permafrost? The top ~200m is dry ('ice free'), with permafront at ~450m at equatorial latitudes. How do we know this? Rampart craters - their distribution by depth and latitude [Hartmann*, p100].Originally posted by Njorl
It will be interesting to see speculation about what happened to the water. Underground lakes? Absorbed into rocks? Evaporated, hydrolyzed and lost to space?
NASA's Curiosity rover detected the presence of water in the form of hydrated minerals on the surface of Mars. The rover's instruments analyzed rock samples and found evidence of clay minerals, which can only form in the presence of water.
This discovery of water on Mars is significant because it indicates that the planet once had a habitable environment that could have supported microbial life. The presence of water is a key ingredient for life, so this discovery increases the chances of finding evidence of past or present life on Mars.
This discovery will impact future missions to Mars by providing scientists with a better understanding of the planet's history and geology. It will also guide the search for potential landing sites for future missions, as areas with evidence of past water are more likely to have preserved signs of ancient life.
NASA has used a variety of methods to search for evidence of water on Mars, including orbiting spacecraft, landers, and rovers. These instruments have helped scientists detect the presence of water ice in the polar regions and evidence of ancient riverbeds, lakes, and oceans on the surface.
The discovery of water on Mars is significant for future human exploration, as it is a crucial resource for sustaining life and can be used to create rocket fuel. This discovery also opens up the possibility of using Martian resources for future human missions, such as extracting water from the soil for drinking and growing plants.