Martian clays may not be evidence of water
Posted: Wed, Sep 12, 2012, 9:03 AM ET (1303 GMT)
Clay minerals identified on Mars could be formed by processes that don't require the presence of flowing liquid water, scientists reported this week. The discovery of clays in the Martian soil had previously been seen as evidence that liquid water once existed on Mars, but new research reveals that clays found in a Martian meteorite are similar to those found on Earth that are formed from water-rich lava. The thickness of some clay layers seen on mars, in some cases hundreds of meters, could be better explained by a volcanic origin, which would suggest early Mars may have been less habitable than previously thought.
Clay minerals identified on Mars could be formed by processes that don't require the presence of flowing liquid water, scientists reported this week. The discovery of clays in the Martian soil had previously been seen as evidence that liquid water once existed on Mars, but new research reveals that clays found in a Martian meteorite are similar to those found on Earth that are formed from water-rich lava. The thickness of some clay layers seen on mars, in some cases hundreds of meters, could be better explained by a volcanic origin, which would suggest early Mars may have been less habitable than previously thought.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, August 11
Russia rolling out Starlink-style network faster than expected, Kyiv says
Reuters — 5:00 am ET (0900 GMT) Musk: Starlink To Grow Beyond 100,000 Satellites With Higher Throughput
Aviation Week — 5:00 am ET (0900 GMT) U.S. space and missile defense at center stage in Huntsville, Alabama
Washington Times — 4:57 am ET (0857 GMT) Voyager Wins Space Force Tactical Data Link Comms Work
Aviation Week — 4:55 am ET (0855 GMT) Kepler Selects Rocket Lab's Neutron for First Dedicated Launch as Network Expansion Accelerates
GlobeNewswire — 4:54 am ET (0854 GMT) |
