Was The Red Planet Once A Lush 'Blue'?
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While the soil of our favorite Red Planet may now seem arid and inhospitable- one where water is scarce or non-existent, this may not have been the case, billions of years ago.
An analysis of the images of the planet's surface using a new software technology by a team of scientists from the University of Illinois, shows evidence of dozens of valleys, more than twice as many, as was thought in the past.
This according to Professor Wei Luo, indicates that there were once a number of rivers that flowed from the planet's southern mountains and amalgamated into a giant ocean on the lower, northern end of the Planet.
The discovery of the new valleys is very important, because while their existence has been known since the Mariner 9 Spacecraft photographed them in 1971, scientists have been divided as to whether they were created by erosion from surface water (indicating rivers) or through a process of erosion known as ground water sapping - caused when water emerges as springs from the ground, a phenomenon that occurs in areas that are cold and arid.
Scientists now believe that the large number of valleys is proof that many years ago, Mars may have indeed received regular rainfall, which swelled the rivers and topped the oceans, just like it happens on Earth.
Also, thanks to the clear depiction of the valleys by the new software, the team of scientists, in collaboration with NASA, has been able to draw a more comprehensive map of the Red Planet.
The map prior to this, was created in 1990, by sketching over images of the Planet and was therefore neither very accurate, nor as detailed.
The scientists also believe that the fact that the planet had water means that it may have sustained life, meaning that Martians may have actually existed! Unfortunately, the current cold and dry conditions make that next to impossible today!
sources: independent.co.uk,sciencecodex.com,dailymail.co.uk
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128 Comments
- Nina Pover 14 yearsI really enjoyed this article! It was very interesting.I would recommend it to my friends because I know they would really enjoy reading about if The red planet was once a hush blue?
- Alyssa P.over 14 yearsI think there was water on Mars. I think that there was erosion on Mars because they said it had an average amout of rainfall. I agree with the scientists that there were valleys on Mars. I think that the scientists were acurate because scientists study hard on things like this. If the Mariner 9 didn't take the picture we wouldn't know about it.
- Nathan Ningover 14 yearsNASA made a map of Mars, but, I don't think that it is vary accurate because the mashines could be incorrect.The Mariner 9 Spacecraft could have hit something to distort the camera. The erosion might not be detected correctly but overall, I think erosion on mars was possible. I think it would take longer than the time taken to form the grand canyon.I think that because the stone on the mars has heavier rocks.
- Andrew L.over 14 yearsThere was water on mars.The water eroded the sand.Since the water eroded the sand it left canyons.The canyons were used as proof that there was water on mars.The canyons also say that there was water so there maybe was life on mars.The erosion of the sand gave us all this to think about.
- Camryn Hulvatover 14 yearsAccording to scientists, in 1971 the Mariner 9 Spacecraft took a photograph of weathering and erosion on Mars. There are large valleys that tells the scientists that there might have been rainfall at a time. I like " Was the Planet Once a Lush Blue" better than " Water on Mars" because this article has more facts and specific details. I would recommend other students to read this article.
- vladimierover 14 yearsi dont think water is on mars. i think its not there because its colder on mars and it would snow more. plus it would have to be warmer so the snow could melt and turn to rain. so therefor it would probaly wont rain on mars.
- Robert.Jover 14 yearsI think that there's erosion on Mar's, because scientist found water on Mar's.This shows that over time ,weathering has happen.Because of the planets erosion, the sediments on the planet have deposit or (dropped off somewhere else.)
- andreaover 14 yearsI learned that there was erosion on plant mars. How the erosion came on mars, was when the rain came, and the the flat land on mars went up and up and it formed some sort of mountain.That is is what happen on mars.
- Kate Cvengrosover 14 yearsit says that erosion on Mars was either created by the surface of the water, or ground water sapping. The ground water sapping would happen cause of the water emerges. As springs from the ground of phenomenon occurs in the cold and arid areas. Now Scientists believe that Mars gets the same amount of rainfall, as does on Earth
- Joseph S.over 14 yearsi think the planet was a lush blue because scientist belive that water was on mars but then the water must of evaporated. Then Mars became a red planet.So i think Mars once was a lush blue planet.