Water on Mars: A Look at the Evidence

One of the greatest space discoveries in the last few years has been the existence of water on the planet Mars. Since NASA scientists started serious exploration of Mars years ago, they discovered ice in the planets polar caps. But recent studies have led them to believe Mars could have had great oceans, flash floods and could possibly still have water underground.

Based on high-resolution images from the Mars Orbital Camera the Mars Global Surveyor, researchers have found gullies that seem to have been made by running water not too long ago. These photographs have raised many questions, including how did water exist on Mars.

Liquid water cannot currently exist on Mars because the average temperature is about 60 degrees. Water does exist in ice form in the Polar Regions, and Mars' thin atmosphere does contain water vapors. Also, photographs sent from past missions have shown evidence of frost on the planet's surface. The reason there is so much interest in the red planet's water is because it could prove that life once existed, or could exist, if there is a source of water.

Scientists believe there was plenty of water long ago based on the massive outflow channels that exist. They compare the intensity of the flooding to as high as 10,000 times as powerful as the Mississippi River pouring into the Gulf of Mexico. The scientists do not know what caused the flooding or where the water went. They do believe that Mars might have geological cycles that involve a heating cycle which releases groundwater to form oceans, then dissolves the water back into the planet's crust and then refreezes.

Another problem scientists have uncovered has been images from a dozen location retrieved around the planet's equator region. The photographs detail signs of water seeping out of the walls of valleys and craters that form smaller gullies. Scientist cannot agree on how long ago this occurred, some say 10 years ago, other say 10 million years ago.

Researchers have also discovered that there is no sign of carbonates in any Martian rocks. It is a mineral that forms when liquid water reacts with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Yet, another mystery for scientists to solve.

In 2001, NASA will send a new orbiter to Mars, which will include a higher-resolution spectrometer to search for carbonates. In 2003, NASA will send two rovers to Mars to hunt for water's signatures in rocks and soil on the surface.

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