New evidence(?) of water on Mars.

John Jones · #1 (**permalink**) 20-October-2007, 08:18 PM

would someone comment on this news article?

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/27736

Evidence of water on Mars discovered
science and technology
By CAROLINE ALPHONSO
Toronto Globe and Mail
Friday, October 19, 2007

Canadian researchers have discovered that a white, salty substance churned up by the Mars Spirit rover is the first "on-the-spot" evidence of water just beneath the surface of the Red Planet.

The discovery by physicists at the University of Guelph is the first solid proof based on soil samples, and reinforces earlier evidence from satellite images suggesting water lies trapped under the barren landscape.

01101001 · #2 (**permalink**) 20-October-2007, 08:28 PM

Certainly the press release is new and the data measurements are probably new, maybe quantitative for the first time, but is this old conclusions about the existence of hydrated minerals on Mars' surface?

Cornell University: CU's Steven Squyres delivers NASA's really big news: Mars once had water (2004 March 4):

Quote:

Much of the discussion at the press conference, which included four other scientists on the Mars rover mission, centered around the chemistry and geology of three kinds of evidence for water, the main one being a hydrated sulfate mineral called jarosite, rare on Earth but a clear sign of water on Mars [...]

University of Guelph press release (I prefer the horse's-mouth educational sources over newspapers, if only for fewer ads):

Quote:

"Our work is the first in situ evidence for total bound water in the Martian subsurface,” said Campbell, a professor emeritus who has been working on the project for two years [...] The water appears to be contained in mineral compounds in sulphur-rich soil just beneath the planet's surface, Campbell said.

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