COOL FACTS ABOUT WATER ON MARS
Added on: 6th May 2016
THE FIRST CREDIBLE ASSUMPTIONS OF WATER ON MARS
The first assumptions of water on Mars came from photographs
sent by Mariner 9, the first spacecraft to orbit another planet,
in 1971. The pictures appeared to show dry river beds and
canyons, leading scientists of the time to speculate about
water on the planet.
THE FIRST EVIDENCE OF LIQUID WATER ON MARS
For decades, scientists were trying to confirm the current
existence of liquid water on Mars. Their breakthrough came in
2000 when gullies appeared which were likely made by liquid
water flowing across the planet’s surface.
MARS HAS LIKELY HARBOURED LIFE
Scientists studying Mars have found that billions of years ago
the planet’s climate was rather warm and humid, even
partially covered by rivers and oceans.
WATER ESCAPED INTO SPACE
Due to Mars’ thin atmosphere, its weak gravitational force
(due to its small size) could not hold all the water on the
planet’s surface. As the planet warmed and liquid water
evaporated, it was increasingly lost into space.
THERE IS STILL SALTWATER ON MARS
Scientists have used high resolution images taken by the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to identify streaks which
change with the seasons. The dark lines have led astronomers
to conclude they are made by salty liquid water on
the planet’s surface.
"FOLLOW THE WATER"
Since all life on Earth must have water to survive, NASA
scientists have made finding water on Mars an even greater
priority than finding life, believing that if we find water, we’ll
find life. To that aim, all recent space crafts and rovers
sent to Mars have focused on the search for water.
THE BIGGEST FLOOD IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
Despite the current lack of running water, scientists postulate
that about 3.5 billion years ago, Mars played host to the
largest flood event known in the solar system.
SUBSURFACE WATER FOUND FROM SPACE
The European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter has been
successfully using a powerful ground-penetrating radar to
search for evidence of frozen and liquid water
below the Martian surface.
WATER IS TRAPPED AS ICE ON MARS
A massive amount of water is believed to exist on Mars, locked
up in the polar ice caps. In summer, the caps shrink as the
frozen water passes directly from a solid to gaseous form
(sublimation) and in winter, they grow up to halfway
between the poles and equator.
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