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DETAILS ABOUT WATER ON MARS

Added on: 18th Sep 2016

 

A WATER FLOW 100 TIMES GREATER THAN

THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Marte_Vallis_based_on_day_THEMIS

The Marte Vallis, a massive channel system on the Martian

surface, is believed to have seen over 100 times more

water pass through it each year than passes through the

Mississippi River, the 15th largest river by annual discharge

on our planet. Compared to the Amazon River, the largest

discharger by far, over 10 times the amount of water

passed through the Marte Vallis.

 

 

ONE OF THE SMOOTHEST PLACES IN THE

SOLAR SYSTEM

ancient mars with water

Mars is covered in low-lying, mostly flat plains. One of the

flattest and smoothest places in our solar system, the lowest

of the northern hemisphere’s plains may have been created

by vast swaths of water flowing across the Martian surface.

 

 

HOT SPRINGS MAY HAVE EXISTED ON MARS

Silex_spring_overflow_in_yellowstone

This fact about water on Mars is especially exciting. Scientists

have found features of possible ancient Martian hot springs

that highly match those of hydrothermal springs on our

own Blue Planet. Since such springs on Earth (such as in

Yellowstone National Park) likely contain the closest relatives

of the first living organisms on the planet, the presence of

such springs there could mean finding definitive proof

of life on Mars.

 

 

A ROVER FINDS LIQUID WATER GLOBULES

Phoenix_landing

In 2008, the stationary Phoenix rover was examining the

Martian surface and dug up chunks of a bright substance

which disappeared over the course of four days. Scientists

concluded, also based on two of the spheroids merging

together, that the substance was likely liquid water

which went on to evaporate.

 

 

SNOW FALLS ON MARS!

Mars_Reconnaissance_Orbiter's_SHARAD_instrument_over_south_polar_region,_artist's_concept

During the 2006-2007 Martian winter, snow fell on Mars,

but it’s not exactly what you might be thinking. Carbon

dioxide snow clouds noticed above the South Pole were

depositing carbon dioxide snow onto the surface below, the

only place in the solar system where this is known to occur.

 

 

REAL SNOW FALLS ON MARS, TOO!

Mars northern pole ice cap

In an even-more astonishing discovery, also in 2008, the

Phoenix rover recorded water-ice snow (the kind we receive

on Earth) falling near the Martian north pole.

 

 

EXAMINING METEORITES FROM SIGNS OF WATER

Yamato000593-Mars_MeteoriteFoundOnEarth-NASA2012

Beyond using orbiters and rovers to search for water on Mars,

scientists also closely examine Martian rocks which have

fallen to Earth, ejected during impacts on the Red Planet.

The meteorite Yamato 000593 has furthered

scientists’ belief of water (and life) on Mars.

 

 

MARS IS INHOSPITABLE TO LIQUID WATER

Terraformed_Mars

Despite all the water in its many forms we have since found

on Mars, the temperature on Mars is still too low and its

atmosphere too thin for liquid water to exist on the surface

level. Various proposals have been put forth to terraform

Mars and warm up the atmosphere to make liquid water possible.

 


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