Posted on 01/23/2004 12:54:02 PM PST by ambrose
Ice on Mars: Americans Pour Cold Water on 'Eureka Moment'
By John von Radowitz, Science Correspondent, PA News
American space experts today poured cold water on Mars Express scientists' "eureka moment" - the first direct evidence of Earth-like ice on the Red Planet.
Excited European Space Agency controllers said their orbiting space craft had detected frozen water at the Martian south pole.
The scientists described the find as a "eureka moment" and said it confirmed the possibility that Mars once harboured life.
But there was a cool reception among experts at the American space agency, Nasa, to the claim.
They pointed out that in the last two years the Nasa spacecraft Mars Odyssey had already detected large amounts of ice mixed with Martian soil as little as 18 inches from the surface.
Orlando Figueroa, Nasa's Mars exploration director, said: "Our Odyssey spacecraft that has been orbiting Mars since 2001 did discover vast amounts of frozen water in the northern and southern latitudes. And we were surprised by the fact that there was so much, and so close to the surface.
"So it's not new news, but we are happy to see that their (ESA's) satellite is also able to pick up where it exists."
The European Space Agency hit back by saying Odyssey's findings were based on indirect evidence such as measuring temperature data and detecting hydrogen.
Mars Express had used an infrared camera to analyse vapours of water molecules themselves.
The mission's manager of spacecraft operations, Allen Moorhouse, said: "You look at the picture, look at the fingerprint, and say this is water ice. This is the first direct confirmation."
ESA's director of science, Professor David Southwood, said: "Previous measurements have been indirect and this is the first time we have direct indications of molecules that are present in water.
"Of course, finding anything that has to do with water on Mars is a sort of holy grail. This is certainly better than anything we've had so far."
Mars Express has also sent back spectacular pictures of the Martian surface in detail not seen before.
The 3D images show winding valleys, deep gorges, cliffs, craters and table-top mountains.
Details as fine as dust blowing over the rims of craters are visible, and some features clearly indicate erosion caused by flowing water long ago in the planet's past.
One of the most dramatic pictures shows the giant mouth of a volcano, Albor Tholus, taken from the viewpoint of an observer approaching it in a low-flying aircraft.
Dr John Murray, a member of the stereo camera imaging team from the Department of Earth Sciences at the Open University, said: "The pictures are absolutely spectacular.
"If it were Earth, large buildings like Buckingham Palace would definitely be visible, and certainly roads.
"These are not snapshots but panoramic images in a 65 kilometre-wide strip that goes on as long as you like. We can look forwards and down, and backwards, and reconstruct the stereo image into a virtual model.
"The astounding thing is although some of them might look like paintings, these are real images, not artist's impressions.
"You get real information - for instance you can measure the altitude of every point very accurately. It's more detailed than what you had in an Ordnance Survey map 20 years ago."
He was convinced the images would settle any remaining doubt about whether there was ever water on Mars.
Too many of the features could only have been created by flowing water, Dr Murray said.
One image showed an area of the surface that had collapsed, almost certainly because of ice melting beneath it.
Channels flowed out from the feature and appeared to empty into a wide, low plain.
Another prominent feature, Reull Vallis, showed a vast winding valley as wide as the English Channel, which appeared to have dark sediment on its floor.
"It has to be water," said Dr Murray.
Nasa confirmed it had regained contact with its Mars rover Spirit, which has landed in a crater on the Red Planet.
The six-wheeled craft had stopped communicating with Earth, but engineers received a 10 minute signal today.
A second rover, Opportunity, is due to land on another part of Mars at 0505 GMT on Sunday.
95% CO2, and in the Martian Winter, -170F or colder.
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