Sleeping Mars Rover Finds Evidence of Liquid Water

Sleeping Mars Rover Finds Evidence of Liquid Water

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The soft Martian soil that ensnared the rover Spirit holds evidence that liquid water still trickles below the planet’s surface. But this serendipitous discovery may be Spirit’s last.

Spirit’s wheels broke through the crust of a sand pit called “Troy” in April 2009, after five years spent mostly exploring a region called Home Plate. NASA officially gave up on trying to extract the rover in January.

But the soil exposed by Spirit’s spinning wheels carries clues that Mars may still be wet. The newly exposed surface layers include minerals thought to be hematite, silica and gy

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Amazing. There is now very good evidence that there is liquid water underneath Mars surface. This could make setting up bases on Mars possible now that we have found the main component of life. Who knows what else lies beneath the surface. The fact that this was discovered by accident shows just how lucky we got.

Kind Regards,
TokyoDynamite

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So what's new? Check out these images of Mars' South Pole...



Scientists say they have found huge deposits of ice on the south pole of Mars that are so plentiful they would blanket the planet in 11 metres of water if they were liquid. And guess what happens during the summer when the temperatures increase!



Carbon dioxide ice? Nope!


Heavy Frost, or Snow. Deposit at Viking Lander 2 Site (Viking Lander Image 211093).
Courtesy: Spherix Inc

In a May 3, 2007 Carnegie dinner, Carnegie Institution Chairman, Michael Gellert, pointed out that:

Since November and December 2006, the accumulated evidence shows that liquid water exists in soil even if only as a thin film. Viking, itself, gave strong evidence of the presence of liquid water. Snow or frost is seen in Viking images of the landing site (e.g., Viking Lander Image 21I093). Pathfinder has shown that the surface atmosphere of Mars exceeds 20 degrees C during part of the day, providing transient conditions for liquid water.

If there's water, could there be life? Probably!






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Yeah I was about to say the same as the above poster, that the polar caps had ice on them so water was known, I think the question now becomes how much water does this planet bear? As well as things that may be hiding underneath perhaps? Certainly interesting and hopefully more data can be provided to answer these and other questions that will come about.

I will point out that just because there is water does not mean it is good water. It could be in need of much purification. It may also have a pollution in it that keeps life from living.


It would be nice though if we could find a way to get more water that could be cleaned easily and transported at a decent cost.

Raist