Posted on 02/22/2005 5:52:37 PM PST by NormsRevenge
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Images relayed by a European space probe reveal the existence of a sea of ice close to the equator of Mars, scientists said Tuesday at a conference in the Netherlands. The existence of water or ice would significantly increase the chance that microscopic life may also be found on Mars.
The evidence comes from photographs — not yet published — taken last year by the European Space Agency's Mars Express probe currently orbiting the red planet.
Scientists have long theorized there was once water on Mars, and data from NASA (news - web sites)'s Mars Rovers has recently appeared to confirm it. But most scientists believed the water had evaporated into the atmosphere early in the planet's history.
"The point is that the ice is very recent: it appears to still be there, covered beneath a layer of dust and ash," John Murray of Britain's Open University told the Associated Press in a telephone interview.
Photographs from the Mars Express showing what ESA scientists said was the most direct evidence yet of water in the form of ice on the red planet have been sent back and analyzed over the past few months.
Murray co-authored a paper detailing the findings which was to be published in the March 17 issue of Nature.
"You can see pack ice in formations that are remarkably similar, identical to ice floes in Antarctica," he said.
Murray said the ice was believed to have formed five million years ago — the blink of an eye, in geological terms — atop a body of water the size of Earth's North Sea.
The water is believed to have originated beneath the surface of Mars, near a series of fractures known as the Cerberus Fossae, where it gushed forth in a catastrophic flood after being warmed by the planet's core.
It collected in a vast area more than 500 miles long and wide, and 50 yards deep.
"If there were warm, wet places, then life could have developed," Murray said.
"That's the place we should look."
The findings were discussed at a major conference in Noordwijk which concludes Friday.
If there is abundant water on Mars then colonization is almost inevitable.
It did not need to develop there. Mars orbit is more or less parallel to the Earth and constant so called solar wind is pushing the miriads of dust and spores from the Earth atmosphere in the outside direction. If there are suitable spots the Earthly life had to made some beachhead on the Mars.
Why haven't the photos been published yet?
News this Earth shattering (pun intended) should have been on the street long ago.
"If there were warm, wet places, then life could have developed..."
In my experience, this has been correct.
"It collected in a vast area more than 500 miles long and wide, and 50 yards deep."
So, a couple times the size of Lake Superior.
So,, Mars had jock itch before it froze?
It is only a matter time there will be a Mars Colony..
Well they have, but it's not like it's anything that jumps out at you. A lot of it is derived from interpretive remote sensing.
Very funny.
How come Eddie gets a crater? What the heck did he do?
And, of course, vice versa whenever Mars is hit by an object big enough to knock off chunks that are then thrown toward the Sun and across Earth's orbit.
or vice versa
Solar wind pushing small particles of dust and spores goes only outward direction.
So, like you can't skate on it? No NHL on Mars? We can't have intergalactic hooky league (IHL) and no unions?
I think I see a ice fishing house in the lower left.
we need to warm the place up..... lets drop all the nukes from Earth on Mars...
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