NASA has embarked on a science strategy of finding where and when water flowed on Mars, as liquid water is believed to be key to the development of life. In May, scientists are expecting to get their first direct samples of Martian water when the Phoenix probe lands near the planet's north pole and drills down into the frozen soil in an attempt to reach underground ice. Pelletier and his colleagues designed computer models that resembled how fluids would flow on Mars, then compared the results with stereoscopic imagery generated by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. "We hoped to rule out the dry flow model -- but that didn't happen," said Alfred McEwen, the lead scientist for MRO's camera. The research doesn't rule out the possibility that the gullies were carved by a thick, grainy mud with the consistency of molasses or hot lava. "There are other ways of getting deposits that look just like this one, that do not require water," Pelletier said. Followup studies of bright deposits on other Martian slopes are underway. Related Links: |
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