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NASA Images Suggest Water Still Flows on Mars
Guest_Sunspot_*
post Dec 4 2006, 09:25 PM
Post #1





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Dec. 4, 2006

Dwayne Brown/Erica Hupp
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/1237

Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278

MEDIA ADVISORY: M06-186

NASA SCHEDULES BRIEFING TO ANNOUNCE SIGNIFICANT FIND ON MARS

WASHINGTON - NASA hosts a news briefing at 1 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Dec.
6, to present new science results from the Mars Global Surveyor. The
briefing will take place in the NASA Headquarters auditorium located
at 300 E Street, S.W. in Washington and carried live on NASA
Television and www.nasa.gov.

The agency last week announced the spacecraft's mission may be at its
end. Mars Global Surveyor has served the longest and been the most
productive of any spacecraft ever sent to the red planet. Data
gathered from the mission will continue to be analyzed by scientists.


Panelists include:
- Michael Meyer -- Lead Scientist, Mars Exploration Program, NASA
Headquarters, Washington
- Michael Malin -- President and Chief Scientist, Malin Space Science
Systems, San Diego, Calif.
- Kenneth Edgett -- Scientist, Malin Space Science Systems
- Philip Christensen -- Professor, Arizona State University, Tempe,
Ariz.
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Stu
post Dec 6 2006, 05:16 PM
Post #2


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More details...

Martian find raises chances of life
ALICIA CHANG
ASSOCIATED PRESS
December 6, 2006

LOS ANGELES - A provocative new study of photographs taken from orbit
suggests that liquid water flowed on the surface of Mars as recently as
several years ago, raising the possibility that the Red Planet could
harbour an environment favourable to life.

The crisp images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor do not directly show
water. Rather, they show apparently recent changes in surface features
that provide the strongest evidence yet that water even now sometimes
flows on the dusty, frigid world. Water and a stable heat source are
considered keys for life to emerge.

Until now, the question of liquid water has focused on ancient Mars, and
on the Martian north pole, where water ice has been detected. Scientists
have long noted Martian features that appear to have been scoured by
water or look like shorelines, and have tried to prove that the Red
Planet had liquid water eons ago.

"This underscores the importance of searching for life on Mars, either
present or past," said Bruce Jakosky, an astrobiologist at the
University of Colorado at Boulder, who had no role in the study. "It's
one more reason to think that life could be there.''

The new findings were published Wednesday in the journal Science and
NASA scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to announce the
results.

Oded Aharonson, an assistant professor of planetary science at the
California Institute of Technology, said that while the interpretation
of recent water activity on Mars was "compelling," it's just one
possible explanation. Aharonson said further study is needed to
determine whether the deposit could have been left there by the flow of
dust rather than water.

The latest research emerged when the Global Surveyor spotted gullies and
trenches that scientists believed were geologically young and carved by
fast-moving water coursing down cliffs and steep crater walls.

Scientists at the San Diego-based Malin Space Science Systems, who
operate a camera aboard the spacecraft, decided to retake photos of
thousands of gullies in search of evidence of recent water activity.

Two gullies that were originally photographed in 1999 and 2001 and
re-imaged in 2004 and 2005 showed changes consistent with water flowing
down the crater walls, according to the study.

In both cases, scientists found bright, light-colored deposits in the
gullies that weren't present in the original photos. They concluded the
deposits - possibly mud, salt or frost - were left there when water
recently cascaded through the channels.

The Global Surveyor, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
abruptly lost radio contact with Earth last month. Attempts to locate
the spacecraft, which has mapped Mars since 1996, have failed and
scientists fear it is unusable.

NASA's durable Mars rovers have sent scientists strong evidence that the
planet once had liquid water at or near the surface, based on
observations of alterations in ancient rocks.

"We're now realizing Mars is more active than we previously thought and
that the mid-latitude section seems to be where all the action is," said
Arizona State University scientist Phil Christensen, who was not part of
the current research.

Mars formed more than 4.5 billion years ago and scientists generally
believe it went through an early wet and warm era that ended after 1.5
billion to 2.5 billion years, leaving the planet extremely dry and cold.

Water can't remain a liquid for long because of subzero surface
temperatures and low atmospheric pressure that would turn water into ice
or gas.

But some studies have pointed to the possibility of liquid water flowing
briefly on the surface through a possible underground water source that
periodically shoots up like an aquifer.


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Posts in this topic
- Sunspot   NASA Images Suggest Water Still Flows on Mars   Dec 4 2006, 09:25 PM
- - monitorlizard   The presence of Philip Christensen (PI for TES) on...   Dec 4 2006, 10:08 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (monitorlizard @ Dec 4 2006, 12:08 ...   Dec 5 2006, 04:14 PM
- - Tesheiner   I just found this while reading NASA Watch; perhap...   Dec 5 2006, 09:22 AM
- - djellison   It's impossible to know where smoke ends and f...   Dec 5 2006, 09:51 AM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (djellison @ Dec 4 2006, 11:51 PM) ...   Dec 5 2006, 04:10 PM
- - Sunspot   Gullies   Dec 5 2006, 04:52 PM
- - tglotch   A few points: 1) Remember that a TES "pixel...   Dec 5 2006, 05:53 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (tglotch @ Dec 5 2006, 07:53 AM) 2)...   Dec 5 2006, 06:08 PM
|- - ugordan   This definitely sounds like it belongs to a separa...   Dec 5 2006, 06:29 PM
- - AlexBlackwell   Per Gordan's suggestion, I'll start a new ...   Dec 5 2006, 08:00 PM
- - AlexBlackwell   Leonard David has a brief blurb in his blog.   Dec 5 2006, 08:24 PM
- - volcanopele   Maybe a gully seen recently but not seen in older ...   Dec 5 2006, 08:31 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 5 2006, 10:31 AM...   Dec 6 2006, 01:03 AM
|- - JonClarke   QUOTE (AlexBlackwell @ Dec 6 2006, 01:03 ...   Dec 6 2006, 06:47 AM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (JonClarke @ Dec 5 2006, 08:47 PM) ...   Dec 6 2006, 04:21 PM
- - MizarKey   I know that this group is usually great about post...   Dec 6 2006, 04:30 PM
- - AlexBlackwell   It looks like the story is leaking out, no pun int...   Dec 6 2006, 04:54 PM
|- - ugordan   The Daily Mail: QUOTE Earlier this week the MOC to...   Dec 6 2006, 05:08 PM
|- - tuvas   QUOTE (AlexBlackwell @ Dec 6 2006, 09:54 ...   Dec 6 2006, 05:16 PM
|- - Stu   QUOTE (tuvas @ Dec 6 2006, 05:16 PM) Is S...   Dec 6 2006, 05:17 PM
|- - tuvas   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 10:17 AM) ...   Dec 6 2006, 05:22 PM
- - Stu   Good old Daily Mail... can't be Michael Hanlon...   Dec 6 2006, 05:10 PM
|- - imipak   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 05:10 PM) Earlie...   Dec 6 2006, 05:17 PM
|- - Stu   Sorry, I didn't insert a "sarcastic g*t...   Dec 6 2006, 05:20 PM
|- - imipak   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 05:20 PM) Sorry,...   Dec 6 2006, 05:40 PM
- - Stu   More details... Martian find raises chances of l...   Dec 6 2006, 05:16 PM
- - elakdawalla   You probably thought he was American because his v...   Dec 6 2006, 05:42 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Dec 6 2006, 07:42 AM...   Dec 6 2006, 05:45 PM
- - elakdawalla   It's typically more efficient for me to wait u...   Dec 6 2006, 05:55 PM
|- - ustrax   "MARS Recent Activity Revealed" That...   Dec 6 2006, 05:57 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (elakdawalla @ Dec 6 2006, 07:55 AM...   Dec 6 2006, 05:57 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (AlexBlackwell @ Dec 6 2006, 07:57 ...   Dec 6 2006, 10:33 PM
- - ElkGroveDan   We now have a new unit of measure; Swimming Pools.   Dec 6 2006, 06:12 PM
|- - climber   QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Dec 6 2006, 07:12 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 08:30 PM
- - remcook   very nice summaries on the msss page. Something el...   Dec 6 2006, 06:15 PM
|- - tuvas   QUOTE (remcook @ Dec 6 2006, 11:15 AM) ve...   Dec 6 2006, 06:23 PM
|- - Steve   QUOTE (tuvas @ Dec 6 2006, 01:23 PM) I...   Dec 6 2006, 07:21 PM
|- - volcanopele   QUOTE (Steve @ Dec 6 2006, 12:21 PM) I...   Dec 6 2006, 07:29 PM
||- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 09:29 AM...   Dec 6 2006, 07:42 PM
|- - tglotch   QUOTE (Steve @ Dec 6 2006, 07:21 PM) I...   Dec 6 2006, 07:56 PM
|- - exoplanet   QUOTE (Steve @ Dec 6 2006, 07:21 PM) ...   Dec 7 2006, 12:33 AM
|- - jamescanvin   QUOTE (exoplanet @ Dec 7 2006, 11:33 AM) ...   Dec 7 2006, 01:00 AM
|- - exoplanet   QUOTE (jamescanvin @ Dec 7 2006, 01:00 AM...   Dec 7 2006, 02:24 AM
|- - jamescanvin   QUOTE (exoplanet @ Dec 7 2006, 01:24 PM) ...   Dec 7 2006, 02:50 AM
|- - Steve   QUOTE (exoplanet @ Dec 6 2006, 09:24 PM) ...   Dec 7 2006, 02:51 AM
- - Analyst   A very good press confernce, good questions. I ha...   Dec 6 2006, 07:09 PM
|- - volcanopele   QUOTE (Analyst @ Dec 6 2006, 12:09 PM) fr...   Dec 6 2006, 07:15 PM
||- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 09:15 AM...   Dec 6 2006, 08:03 PM
|- - centsworth_II   QUOTE (Analyst @ Dec 6 2006, 02:09 PM) .....   Dec 6 2006, 07:16 PM
- - um3k   I recorded the NASA TV internet stream of the enti...   Dec 6 2006, 07:18 PM
- - AlexBlackwell   NASA Images Suggest Water Still Flows in Brief Spu...   Dec 6 2006, 07:39 PM
- - vmcgregor   Additional multimedia products (video, podcast, sl...   Dec 6 2006, 07:53 PM
|- - ElkGroveDan   QUOTE (vmcgregor @ Dec 6 2006, 11:53 AM) ...   Dec 6 2006, 08:03 PM
- - John M. Dollan   Considering the rate that the Earth intercepts met...   Dec 6 2006, 08:27 PM
|- - helvick   QUOTE (John M. Dollan @ Dec 6 2006, 08:27...   Dec 6 2006, 11:23 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (helvick @ Dec 6 2006, 01:23 PM) Th...   Dec 6 2006, 11:29 PM
|- - John M. Dollan   QUOTE (helvick @ Dec 6 2006, 04:23 PM) Th...   Dec 6 2006, 11:31 PM
- - Paolo   Are artillery projectile-probes like these http://...   Dec 6 2006, 08:29 PM
- - climber   While listening to the show, a question crossed m...   Dec 6 2006, 08:38 PM
- - Stu   "Interesting"? "INTERESTING?...   Dec 6 2006, 08:40 PM
|- - imipak   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 08:40 PM) ...   Dec 6 2006, 09:38 PM
- - John M. Dollan   Stu... Where did you find that image? It is abso...   Dec 6 2006, 08:46 PM
- - volcanopele   I'm not tuvas. I'm not a vulcan, either, ...   Dec 6 2006, 08:48 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 10:48 AM...   Dec 6 2006, 08:57 PM
|- - climber   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 09:48 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 09:07 PM
|- - Stu   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 08:48 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 09:10 PM
||- - Nirgal   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 10:10 PM) ... Th...   Dec 6 2006, 10:44 PM
||- - mhoward   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 09:10 PM) That ...   Dec 6 2006, 10:50 PM
|- - RichardLeis   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 01:48 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 09:57 PM
|- - JonClarke   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 08:48 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 10:15 PM
|- - tuvas   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 01:48 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 10:46 PM
- - ngunn   I can't get either the msss or nasa links to w...   Dec 6 2006, 09:01 PM
|- - climber   QUOTE (ngunn @ Dec 6 2006, 10:01 PM) I ca...   Dec 6 2006, 09:10 PM
- - Stu   Pics...   Dec 6 2006, 09:16 PM
- - Nix   I'm very excited with these new foundings, als...   Dec 6 2006, 09:21 PM
- - Analyst   QUOTE (centsworth_II @ Dec 6 2006, 08:16 ...   Dec 6 2006, 09:36 PM
- - Stu   sigh... okay... so this isn't brand new ...   Dec 6 2006, 09:47 PM
|- - climber   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 10:47 PM) sigh.....   Dec 6 2006, 09:58 PM
|- - centsworth_II   QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 6 2006, 04:47 PM) .... b...   Dec 6 2006, 11:40 PM
- - RichardLeis   Is the HiRISE camera going to take images of these...   Dec 6 2006, 09:58 PM
|- - mhoward   QUOTE (RichardLeis @ Dec 6 2006, 09:58 PM...   Dec 6 2006, 10:07 PM
- - ngunn   Thanks, Stu and climber for the pictures direct, m...   Dec 6 2006, 10:13 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (ngunn @ Dec 6 2006, 12:13 PM) Than...   Dec 6 2006, 10:17 PM
- - deglr6328   It should be noted that IF this is water (I want t...   Dec 6 2006, 10:29 PM
|- - tuvas   QUOTE (deglr6328 @ Dec 6 2006, 03:29 PM) ...   Dec 6 2006, 10:48 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (tuvas @ Dec 6 2006, 12:48 PM) Liqu...   Dec 6 2006, 10:52 PM
|- - ElkGroveDan   QUOTE (tuvas @ Dec 6 2006, 02:48 PM) Liqu...   Dec 6 2006, 11:47 PM
- - Anoolios   This amateur is still skeptical, is the only evide...   Dec 6 2006, 11:11 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (Anoolios @ Dec 6 2006, 01:11 PM) T...   Dec 6 2006, 11:17 PM
- - Myran   QUOTE tuvas wrote: Liquid CO2? Is that even possib...   Dec 6 2006, 11:58 PM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (Myran @ Dec 6 2006, 01:58 PM) Liqu...   Dec 7 2006, 12:06 AM
- - Myran   QUOTE AlexBlackwell wrote: There are plausibility ...   Dec 7 2006, 12:28 AM
|- - AlexBlackwell   QUOTE (Myran @ Dec 6 2006, 02:28 PM) Fina...   Dec 7 2006, 12:33 AM
- - AlexBlackwell   Emily now has a story online at TPS. EDIT: As wel...   Dec 7 2006, 12:57 AM
- - tfisher   This is really exciting. Oh, to have a rover ther...   Dec 7 2006, 02:30 AM
- - CosmicRocker   QUOTE (volcanopele @ Dec 6 2006, 02:48 PM...   Dec 7 2006, 05:23 AM
|- - climber   QUOTE (CosmicRocker @ Dec 7 2006, 06:23 A...   Dec 7 2006, 08:23 AM
- - AndyG   A question! What's a likely figure for th...   Dec 7 2006, 11:43 AM
- - ustrax   What triggers my imagination in this great discove...   Dec 7 2006, 12:24 PM
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