NASA Mars orbiters see clues to possible water flows

Roy Gosnell                                                                                                        
3/9/14

Earth Science Even                                                                              
Mrs. McClellan

Current Event

Citation:

Webster, Guy, and Jason Maderer. "NASA Mars Orbiters See Clues to Possible Water Flows." Jpl.nasa.gov. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 10 Feb. 1014. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.

<http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-042>.

NASA Mars Orbiters See Clues to Possible Water Flows

            The question of whether or not water exists on Mars today is being studied worldwide. This article is one of many to give insight on Mars, and if water could exist there in particular. Furthermore, one NASA’s many spacecrafts and rovers returned and gave needed information about this topic. The information that was collected by this specific spacecraft should be able to helps researchers get a better understanding of Mars’ crust, and if, depending on temperature, water could flow on the surface. Pictures from Mars show dark, finger-like markings that fall down Martian slopes when the temperature rises. Scientists have come to call these streaks “recurring slope lineae,” or RSL, and depending on the season, they could be result of water. Lujendra Ojha, a graduate student from the Georgia Institute of Technology was one of the first people to discover these RSL through images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Ojha states that, “We still don’t have a smoking gun for existence of water in RSL, although we’re not sure how this process would take place without water.” These RSL features found on Mars seem to be somewhat similar to the erosion found by water on Earth itself. In attempt to try and find if the RSL really are created by water, or if not by what, Ojha and James Wray, Georgia Tech assistant professor, looked to find more sites by using the same orbiter’s Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars instrument. They knew that if it water created the RSL, a change in minerals would most likely have to be present. They also searched for minerals that could leave residue in their wake. They did find sites where some minerals were more vast than others, such as some iron minerals of several different sizes. However they did not find any specific connection between the water and minerals. To be able to truly find a connection between the water and the RSL, an almost perfect temperature should be available. Ojha said that the RSL are “stronger when it’s warmer,” but also, “less significant when it’s colder.” There are many explanations for the changes in sizes, but still there is no definitive answer. The two researchers continued to look for ideal RSL formation sites that could provide answers. Out of the 200 possible places, only about 13 were useful. In previous years, NASA used the rovers Spirit and Opportunity to evaluate Mars, and due to the recent findings of possible water, many more will likely be tested soon. The search for water on Mars will likely never stop, and as long as there are pieces of hope like RSL for people like Wray and Ojha, the Red Planet will continue to be studied.

            Studies have shown that Mars did have flowing water several billion years ago, but in our world today, it is not known for sure. Mars is not the only planet that is being questioned for possible water, for NASA has recently discovered hundreds of new planets, some of which  could be habitable. However, people are most interesting in discovering whether or not Mars contains flowing water, because of its location compared to Earth. If free water is eventually found on Mars, that would absolutely be known as one of the most incredible discoveries ever made, and would also make people realize that it could be possible for life somewhere else in space. There are many aspects that are needed for life on a planet, but water is absolutely the most important. If it is true that RSL does originate from flowing water, then it is very likely that there will be other planets somewhere deep in space that could also have water. Any numerous results could come from the presence of water, but the most important would be the possibility of another life form in space. The question of whether water is present leads to another even more difficult question to answer. Are we alone?

            I believe that the authors did a great job in providing specific details about when and how the information on Mars was discovered, and I also think it was easy to follow along with what Lujendra Ojha and James Wray were doing in attempt to learn more about the RSL. I also found it interesting to learn that scientists are able to understand more about a planet by evaluating it through advanced technology. The idea of possible water on another planet seems dull, but when you realize that it could eventually lead to another life form, at least to me, is very interesting. I think that however the argument was somewhat one sided, because I am sure that there are people and evidence that could contradict the findings of Ojha and Wray. It is not a perfect world and not everyone believes in the same thing, so I think it would have been stronger if there were a discussion or comparison of several different viewpoints. I would have also liked to see what RSL really look like, and how they impact Mars’ surface. Additionally, by showing a before and after picture of a location that had recently been effected by RSL, I think it would have been very appealing, as it would have allowed for a sense of change and mystery. I also think that adding a conclusion about why the water is important, and how it could impact future life, would have made the article better because it would have made the reader think about how truly important this is, and how it could impact their lives. Overall I enjoyed reading the article and I am interested in learning more about how water could eventually result in life on other planets.