While the agency hasn’t elaborated, it appears the topic will be new findings from analysis of imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Rover, confirming that salty water flowing down Martian slopes is responsible for seasonal dark streaks seen in spots on the planet’s surface. NASA scientists have known for some time about the appearance of gullies or dark streaks on the surface of Mars during warmer weather – while it was suspected that trickling water was the cause, the new evidence means NASA is now nearly certain. Scientists also speculated that that the main water source is likely a shallow subsurface flow which rises to the surface during warmer seasons which would explain the RSL streaks.
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NASA announced on Monday that liquid saltwater exists on the surface of Mars – a discovery that scientists say indicates the “potential” for life on the planet.
On Monday, NASA scientists announced they have discovered evidence of water on Mars.
Using an infra-red spectrometer from the MRO, the scientists revealed that the dark streaks were composed of hydrated salts, such as perchlorates or sulfates. The researchers said in the journal Nature Geoscience that further exploration is warranted to determine whether microscopic life exists on the planet.
This time, however, NASA found strong evidence that supports the fact that water flows on Mars today, like right now.
As an undergraduate student at the University of Arizona back in 2010, Ojha first noticed the puzzling streaks while examining images from MRO’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE).
Different soils sampled were found to be moist and full of water.
Perchlorate is highly absorbent and lowers the freezing point of water so that it remains liquid at colder temperatures. “Now we know there’s more to the story”.
“The existence of liquid water on Mars – even if it’s super salty briney water – gives the possibility that if there’s life on Mars we have a way to describe how it might survive”. Because, according to the project’s principal investigator Alfred S. McEwen, it serves as a “direct detection of water in the form of hydration of salts”.
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Grunsfeld added the water find was a good omen for the likelihood for life on Mars but much more scientific research needs to be done to reach that major conclusion.
