It took a decade to develop the map.
A new map created over the last decade using data from ESA’s Mars Express Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l’Eau, les Glaces et l’Activité instrument and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars instrument shows water-related mineral deposits across the planet, according to aIn particular, it shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. What took the scientists by surprise was the impressive abundance of these minerals.
“I think we have collectively oversimplified Mars,” said Carter. So far, planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, which is far from the truth the map reveals. While it’s possible that many of the Martian salts did form later than the clays, the map shows many exceptions where there is intimate mixing of salts and clays and some salts that are presumed to be older than some clays.“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought; the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
A month on 'Mars': A Kinder, Gentler MarsAny discomfort we may be feeling here is absolute child's play compared to the harsh reality of other planets.
Read more »
Alfalfa should be the first crop we try to grow on MarsAccording to a new study, alfalfa sprouts are a contender for the first plants future Mars colonizers could farm.
Read more »
Giant Map Reveals Ancient Traces of Water on Mars Everywhere We LookA new map, years in the making, reveals where we can find ancient traces of water on Mars.
Read more »
The Artemis plan: Why NASA sees the moon as a stepping stone to MarsThe Artemis 1 mission will kickstart the next era of crewed space exploration.
Read more »
Up, close and personal with Mars: ReachBot and the future of space missionsReachBot, achieves large reach with a small footprint, accessing steep, vertical, and overhanging surfaces in Martian caves.
Read more »
New Mars Water Map Will Prove Invaluable for Future Exploration MissionsA new map of Mars is altering our perception of the planet's watery past, and indicating potential landing sites for future missions. The map shows mineral deposits across the red planet. It has been painstakingly created over the last decade using data from ESA’s Mars Express Observatoire pour l
Read more »