Mars, dry planet

2003/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

Martin has never had much water. This is demonstrated by the results of the latest research on the surface of the red planet. And this has put into question, as could not be otherwise, the arguments of those who propose that on Mars there have never been adequate conditions to create life.

(Photo: ANDÉN).

To know the presence of water on the red planet has been measured the presence of surface minerals. They have done so with a thermal emission spectrometer and have seen that in the humid planets appears less amount of carbonate than happens. In fact, on our planet water reacts with the CO2 of the atmosphere and produces carbonic acid, which then precipitates in the form of carbonate in the sea. Therefore, if Mars was moist, geochemicals estimate that 20% of Martian dust would be composed of carbonates. However, in this new research only 2-3% have been found.

In addition, minerals have been found on the surface of the planet that would quickly destroy liquid water. Thus, more than one result highlights that water on Mars has not produced chemical transformations on Earth. Based on this, researchers have recently stated that Mars has been drier and cooler than they expected, and that there were probably never oceans.