Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

ASU professor's theory of Martian water proves correct
Casa Grande Valley News (Arizona) ^ | 3/4/04

Posted on 03/04/2004 12:52:10 PM PST by LibWhacker

On Tuesday, NASA administrators said scientists have concluded the part of Mars being explored by the rover Opportunity was soaking wet in the past. Evidence that Opportunity found in a rock outcropping led scientists to the conclusion, NASA officials said.

Christensen and a team of ASU researchers designed and built thermal emission spectrometers that are on two craft orbiting Mars and on the rovers.

The spectrometers identify minerals by examining the light spectrum they emit and comparing that with the spectrum emitted by known minerals.

Last spring, Christensen said that spectrometer readings from an orbiter indicated the presence of the mineral hematite, particularly in the region of Mars known at Meridiani Planum.

Christensen also said Meridiani looked to him very much like an ancient lakebed.

Hematite most often is formed where there is water. However, other scientists countered Christensen's theory by noting that hematite also can be formed by volcanic activity, and they suggested that volcanic activity was much more likely on Mars.

Nevertheless, it was Christensen's theories about Meridiani that caused NASA to send Opportunity there to land.

"We can now say without doubt that we have landed on a place where there was a lot of water and it was there long enough to form minerals," Christensen said Tuesday. "Minerals don't form overnight; they take years, centuries, millennia perhaps. We're looking at a place where a lot of water was there for a long time."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: mars; martian; water
"Minerals don't form overnight; they take years, centuries, millennia perhaps. We're looking at a place where a lot of water was there for a long time."

NASA briefing the other day left this up in the air. It's pretty important, I think. There was a lot of water there, and it was there for a long time.

1 posted on 03/04/2004 12:52:10 PM PST by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: LibWhacker
no matter how many times this guy gets his space theories right, chicks won't dig him :>
2 posted on 03/04/2004 12:53:29 PM PST by KantianBurke (Principles, not blind loyalty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LibWhacker; Phil V.; NormsRevenge
It's gone now!
3 posted on 03/04/2004 12:55:07 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States - and war is what they got!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LibWhacker
That's not the only thing that was left up in the air. How about the soil seemingly turning to mud in many places. Is there a mix of salt water in the top level soil. None of these issues were discussed.
4 posted on 03/04/2004 12:57:01 PM PST by mict42
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
It's Bush's fault!
5 posted on 03/04/2004 12:58:38 PM PST by shotgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: shotgun
"It's Bush's fault!"

That's right. If there was a war on Mars, the new slogan would be Blood for Minerals. HA!
6 posted on 03/04/2004 1:02:19 PM PST by writer33 (The U.S. Constitution defines a Conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Phil V.
Ping!
7 posted on 03/04/2004 1:05:37 PM PST by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
LOL
8 posted on 03/04/2004 1:05:57 PM PST by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: shotgun
News Flash!
" Nasa Rover Opportunity Discovers evidence of Water on Mars! Sierra Club Launches Law Suit Against Bush Administration For Drilling In The Martian Wetlands!"
9 posted on 03/04/2004 1:07:07 PM PST by StacyMac
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: KantianBurke
Spacey chicks might. ;-)
10 posted on 03/04/2004 1:07:17 PM PST by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: StacyMac
The Public Information Office for Nasa released this statement earlier today:

"The planet Mars will no longer be referred to as the "RED Planet". This term was developed during the Cold War by Republican operatives during the height of the McCarthy hearings. Any statements by the current administration are obvious attempts to politicize space exploration by invoking memories of alleged crimes to humanity by the peaceful people of the former Soviet Union while they imply that the the Democratic Party is weak on Space Exploration Policy.

11 posted on 03/04/2004 1:20:46 PM PST by shotgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: LibWhacker
As PHIL V. Posted last night

HERE

This picture proves vary interesting.

It reminds me of wet plaster, or soap like.

12 posted on 03/04/2004 1:21:10 PM PST by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire with meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Robe
vary = very
13 posted on 03/04/2004 1:23:01 PM PST by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire with meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Robe
Boy, I've never seen anything like it except in the presence of a liquid. I suppose it could be a static charge. Mars is strange enough. But that still strikes me as a long shot. (BTW, loved the puns over there . . . Mars-ipan, lol!)
14 posted on 03/04/2004 1:30:43 PM PST by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson