Science Presence of salt on Mars adds new evidence for possible life | Presence of salt on Mars adds new evidence for possible life |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Saturday, 22 March 2008 | |
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Mikki Osterloo, Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, and a team of researchers used a high-resolution camera called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), which is aboard the Mars Odyssey orbiter spacecraft, to take thousands of visible-light and infrared images of the southern highlands of Mars. This area is a very old area on the planet. The false-color images revealed bright blue in one set of images, green in another set, and yellow-orange in a third set of images. These thermal (heat) infrared images show different compositions in the Martian soil, specifically in rocks and minerals. They found spectral characteristics that showed clear indications of deposits of chloride minerals, which range from 0.4 to 10 square miles (1 to 25 square kilometers) in area. The March 20, 2008 NASA Jet Propulstion Laboratory news release states, “These deposits point to places where water once was abundant and where evidence might exist of possible Martian life from the Red Planet's past.” In fact, Osterloo states, "They could come from groundwater reaching the surface in low spots. The water would evaporate and leave mineral deposits, which build up over years. The sites are disconnected, so they are unlikely to be the remnants of a global ocean." The scientists think that the salt deposits were formed about 3.5 to 3.9 billion years ago, at a time in Martian history where the now-dry-and-cold planet had periods of wetter and warmer conditions. The abstract to their paper states, “The identification of chlorides in the ancient southern highlands suggests that near-surface water was available and widespread in early Martian history.” Could life had appeared on Mars in its past? Osterloo states, "By their nature, salt deposits point to a lot of water, which potentially could remain standing in pools as it evaporates. That's crucial. For life, it's all about a habitat that endures for some time." The discovery by the Osterloo team appears in a March 21, 2008 issue of the journal Science. The title of the paper is “Chloride-Bearing Materials in the Southern Highlands of Mars.” The other members of the team include: V. E. Hamilton, J. L. Bandfield, T. D. Glotch, A. M. Baldridge, P. R. Christensen, L. L. Tornabene, and F. S. Anderson. University associations include the University of Hawaii, Arizona State University, and Stony Brook University (New York).
Do you know the background on the Odyssey mission? And what it was named after? Please read on to find the answer. |
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