Breaking News from Mars
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Breaking News from Mars
Rover Opportunity has made "significant" findings on Mars. For those of you who may check this website in the next hour, a news briefing will be aired on NASA TV at 2 PM Eastern time on 02 March 2004. This breaking news is supposedly about some findings of water, and its abundance on Mars. Sorry for the short notice, I only learned of this yesterday after work.
- Jennifer -
Youth ASA 6-Day 1998 1999
Adult ASA 8-Day 2004; Alumni 2007, CSC 2013, 2015, 2017
Youth ASA 6-Day 1998 1999
Adult ASA 8-Day 2004; Alumni 2007, CSC 2013, 2015, 2017
OPPORTUNITY ROVER FINDS STRONG EVIDENCE MERIDIANI PLANUM WAS WET
Scientists have concluded the part of Mars NASA's
Opportunity rover is exploring was soaking wet in the past.
Evidence the rover found in a rock outcrop led scientists to
the conclusion. Clues from the rocks' composition, such as the
presence of sulfates, and the rocks' physical appearance, such
as niches where crystals grew, helped make the case for a
watery history.
"Liquid water once flowed through these rocks. It changed their
texture, and it changed their chemistry," said Dr. Steve
Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., principal
investigator for the science instruments on Opportunity and its
twin, Spirit. "We've been able to read the tell-tale clues the
water left behind, giving us confidence in that conclusion," he
said.
Dr. James Garvin, lead scientist for Mars and lunar exploration
at NASA Headquarters, Washington, said, "NASA launched the Mars
Exploration Rover mission specifically to check whether at
least one part of Mars ever had a persistently wet environment
that could possibly have been hospitable to life. Today we have
strong evidence for an exciting answer: Yes."
Opportunity has more work ahead. It will try to determine
whether, besides being exposed to water after they formed, the
rocks may have originally been laid down by minerals
precipitating out of solution at the bottom of a salty lake or
sea.
-NASA
More info: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/sol ... water.html
The full release can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/ma ... _mars.html
Scientists have concluded the part of Mars NASA's
Opportunity rover is exploring was soaking wet in the past.
Evidence the rover found in a rock outcrop led scientists to
the conclusion. Clues from the rocks' composition, such as the
presence of sulfates, and the rocks' physical appearance, such
as niches where crystals grew, helped make the case for a
watery history.
"Liquid water once flowed through these rocks. It changed their
texture, and it changed their chemistry," said Dr. Steve
Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., principal
investigator for the science instruments on Opportunity and its
twin, Spirit. "We've been able to read the tell-tale clues the
water left behind, giving us confidence in that conclusion," he
said.
Dr. James Garvin, lead scientist for Mars and lunar exploration
at NASA Headquarters, Washington, said, "NASA launched the Mars
Exploration Rover mission specifically to check whether at
least one part of Mars ever had a persistently wet environment
that could possibly have been hospitable to life. Today we have
strong evidence for an exciting answer: Yes."
Opportunity has more work ahead. It will try to determine
whether, besides being exposed to water after they formed, the
rocks may have originally been laid down by minerals
precipitating out of solution at the bottom of a salty lake or
sea.
-NASA
More info: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/sol ... water.html
The full release can be found at: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/ma ... _mars.html
Ad astra per aspera.