Ocean on Mars

“Ancient Mars Had an Ocean, Scientists Say”

By: Marc Kaufman

Source: New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/06/science/mars-had-an-ocean-scientists-say-pointing-to-new-data.html?ref=science

            After several years of research, scientists at NASA claim that Mars may have had an ocean, which is predicted to be the size of the Arctic Ocean. Scientists say that the ocean covered Mars’s northern hemisphere. If NASA scientists are able to prove that Mars had an ocean, they will gain a further understanding of Mars and the possibility of life on the planet. Dr. Mumma and Geronimo Villanueva discovered that two types of water were located on Mars. The first type is the basic water on Earth, but the second one is different. The second type of water is MDO instead of H2O, in which the hydrogen atom contains a neutron. Scientists are able to determine how much water Mars had by finding how much of it was lost. Based on previous findings, scientists estimate that Mars had enough water that was 137 meters in depth. The Curiosity rover that was placed on Mars discovered the different types of water molecules on the Gale crater. However, Mars is missing signs of topographic and geological features caused by oceans, such as sea cliffs and shorelines. Other scientists identified a possible system of channels on Mars that originated in the planet’s southern hemisphere. It is predicted that these channels traveled to the northern hemisphere and caused water to flow to the northern hemisphere.

            The possibility of water being found on Mars would prove that life was once sustainable on Mars and can be in the future. Although scientists have discovered small traces of water molecules on Mars, they cannot guarantee that life was possible on Mars because the ocean failed to leave behind geographic traces.