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
- Michael Mover 14 yearsI think the articles were very interesting. I think the streaks were formed by weathering and erosion. They must be eroded by the flow of water in summer; and by ice in the winter. The valleys were formed by the flow of water. I wonder where the water "if any water" went. The article "was the red planet once a lush blue" was more helpful to me because it answered a lot of questions that were very intresting.
- Shayne C.over 14 yearsI think that erosion on Mars is really interesting. When the scientists from University Illinois showed the evidence of dozens of valleys, more than twice as many, as was thought in the past. I thought that was really cool. There was also rivers in Mars that flowed into a giant ocean. Mars may have indeed received regular rainfall, which is also on earth. The map of Mars I thought was earth for a second. I thought is was really cool that there might be martians on Mars!
- JamesLover 14 yearsI spelled erosion wrong. I think. I can't check.
- JamesLover 14 yearsWas The Red Planet Once A Lush 'Blue' helped a lot. Since they found valleys, that means there must have been water on Mars. Since there was water, that means there must of been eroision on Mars!
- jiriesfover 14 yearsI think that erosion can't happen in space because theirs no mountains or sand. Maybe their used to be water on mars and a astroid hit it.
- Grace S.over 14 yearsI think that it would be strange if there were life on mars because scientists used to that the only planet with life on it was Earth
- Grace S.over 14 yearsI think it would be strange if there were life on mars because scientists used to think that the only planet that had life on it was Earth.
- Tanner B.over 14 yearsI think that 'Was the Red Planet once a Lush Blue?' was most helpful. It proved that there once was water on Mars better because it gave more information. I found it interesting that there was so many water-weathered and eroded landforms. The only landform that I knew about was Valles Marineris. It is fun to imagine what Mars once looked like and compare that to what Earth looks like now.
- Tanner B.over 14 yearsI think that 'Was the Red Planet once a Lush Blue?' was most helpful. It proved that there once was water on Mars better because it gave more information. I found it interesting that there was so many water-weathered and eroded landforms. The only landform that I knew about was Valles Marineris. It is fun to imagine what Mars once looked like and compare that to what Earth looks like now.
- Klavdiaover 14 yearsI found it very interesting that there is an ocean on mars. I thought this planet had only dry areas because it is in space. Also, i thought it can only be dry because of the light gravity so wouldn't the water be in the air. A very interesting thing was that it had rainfall on Mars, how could that happen? And the erosion of water was very surprising to me.