On the surface of Mars discovered traces indicating the presence of liquid water – and not in the distant past of the planet, but right now! In the light of the latest research, published by NASA, the water is responsible for the formation of mysterious dark structures on the Red Planet. The discovery caused a lot of excitement and forced a series of questions – including about the possibility of life …
Article written by Zofia Kaczmarek
The new results Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provide the strongest evidence so far on the periodic flow of liquid water on Mars today. Using a spectrometer probes, researchers have found traces of hydrated minerals on the slopes, which are seen mysterious lines. The dark streaks grow and recede with time. Darken and flow down steep slopes during the warmer seasons, then fade during colder. They appear in several places on Mars when temperatures exceed -23 degrees Celsius, and pass away when he cools down.
These flows are known as RSL (recurring slope rope – recurring lines on slopes). Often they described their possible association with water in a liquid state. New discoveries hydrated salt on the slopes indicate what the character might have a connection. Hydrated salts would lower the freezing point of the liquid – like salt on the roads Earth makes ice and snow melt faster. Scientists say that water is likely to flow near the surface; seeps through the ground its enough to explain its blackening.
We were hydrated salt, only when seasonally visible objects are widest, suggesting that either the dark streaks or process that forms it, is a source of hydration. In both cases, the detection of hydrated salt on the slopes means that water plays a key role in the formation of streaking.
The first time these puzzling objects observed in 2010, using images from the telescope’s HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) located on the probe Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. HiRISE observations have documented the presence of the RSL in dozens of places on Mars. New research has linked them with mapping of minerals made by the instrument crisma (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) with the same probe.
The spectrometer observations reveal traces of hydrated salt in many locations of the RSL, but only where dark objects were relatively broad. When the researchers looked at the same places, while RSL were not as extensive, they did not detect hydrated salt.
According to researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in spectral characteristics indicating hydrated minerals called perchlorates. Salts characteristics that are most consistent with the results obtained, the magnesium perchlorate, chlorate, magnesium and sodium perchlorate. On Earth, perchlorates occur naturally occurring in the deserts, and some of their types can be used as rocket fuel.
Perchlorate were already observed on Mars. Phoenix lander and rover Curiosity found them in the soil of the planet, and some scientists believe that their traces also registered the Viking missions in the 70s However, this study has detected perchlorate, this time in a hydrated form, in areas other than those explored by landers. It is also the first time that the identification of perchlorate from the orbit of Mars. MRO explores Mars since 2006 with six scientific instruments.
The new results are further proof that mysterious lines to darken Martian slopes, which were first seen again five years ago, it was actually water.
When most people talk about water on Mars, usually they ask for water present in the past or frozen. Now we know that hidden behind something more. This is the first spectral detection, which clearly supports the hypothesis forming the RSL by liquid wodę.Odkrycie is the latest of many breakthroughs made by NASA’s Mars missions.
It took many spacecraft in a few years to solve this mystery, and now we know, that there is liquid water on the surface of the cold desert planet.
Added: Editors AstroNETu – 2015-09-30 19: 08: 14 + 02
has updated: Editors AstroNETu – 2015-09-30 19: 09: 05 + 02
Source: NASA – American Space Agency
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time the news was added: 2015-09-30 19: 08: 14 + 02
Time last updated: 2015-09-30 19: 09: 05 + 02
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