Bound water on Mars Options

[alan]

Physicists at the University of Guelph have detected the first "on-the-spot" evidence of significant amounts of water still existing on Mars.

Rather than existing in pools, the water is trapped in sub-surface soil on the red planet, most likely the remnants of oceans or pools that evaporated, according to lead researcher Iain Campbell.

"Our work is the first in situ evidence for total bound water in the Martian subsurface,” said Campbell,

An X-ray spectrometer called an APXS on the rover's arm captured the data about the trapped water. "Other instruments suggest the possibility — the APXs lets us determine the actual amount," said Campbell,

The water appears to be contained in mineral compounds in sulphur-rich soil just beneath the planet's surface, Campbell said. The distinctive bright white material was churned up by the rover's wheels as it moved across the soft red surface in the Columbia Hills region of the planet

In a paper that is in the final stage of review by the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, the team says the bright, sulphur-rich material contains up to 16 per cent water.

http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/2007/10/u_of_g_scientis_1.html

[marsbug]

The impression I got from the article was that the 16% figure was a first and worth making a bit of a fuss about. If some of the water is present as fluid inclusions that would be exciting, but I dont know if theres any way that could have been determined.

[dburt]

The impression I got from the article was that the 16% figure was a first and worth making a bit of a fuss about. If some of the water is present as fluid inclusions that would be exciting, but I dont know if theres any way that could have been determined.

"Up to 16%" in the news release doesn't sound like a measurement (and I'm not sure how such a measurement could be made by instruments available on the MER), but more like a calculation from formulae for various possible hydrated sulfates. Better to wait for publication of the peer-reviewed article in JGR for further comment, though. A significant content of liquid water as fluid inclusions is unlikely and, as you suggest, likewise could not be determined.

-- HDP Don