Martian pyramid poured water - BBC

Scientists have published data on the results of the first one hundred days of stay Curiosity rover on the planet. The waters there were fewer than expected, but the surprise came from new minerals found on Earth.

planetary scientists studying the surface of Mars based on data from Mars Rover Curiosity, first results of more than a year’s work of the device on the surface of the planet.

in Friday’s issue of the journal Science published an article of the five groups of researchers studying the composition of Martian rocks. After landing on the surface of 6 August 2012, the rover after that for 100 Martian days covered 500 meters. On his way caught two unusual geological structures that have attracted the attention of scientists.

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first appeared piramidopodobnaya lump photograph of which was obtained at the 46 th day of travel. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory decided to call it a stone-M Jake after Jake Matievich NASA engineer, developed the rover. Jake M became the first stone on which the work of the scientists tested the X-ray spectrometer, illuminating the breed alpha particles to determine its elemental composition.

analysis showed that the lump is a piece mudzhierita – formerly the breed is not found on the surface of Mars.

These basalts are found on Earth, usually on islands in the oceans and continental faults. According to Martin Fisk, a scientist from the University of Oregon and co-author of the work, these rocks are formed deep in the earth in the presence of water. “They are formed deep within the earth from magma that crystallized in the presence of one or two percent of the water. Crystals precipitated from the magma, but that does not crystallize, it becomes mudzhieritom, which then rises to the surface with the eruption of volcanoes, “- says Fisk.

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In another study, researchers presented data contactless remote studies of Martian soil using the device ChemCam, which heats the rock laser and monitors the composition of the vaporized material. During his travels half a kilometer rover ran across a variety of soils, and the main finding was that all samples of dust and sand had low concentrations of water. “We realized it literally from the first shot of the laser on the Red Planet” – says Roger Viens working with ChemCam.

Although the headlines of press releases, scientists have traditionally used the word “water”, but in reality it is not about free water, and the proportion of hydrogen in the composition of species present, for example in the form of hydrates .

soil analysis carried out by more than a hundred sites sand dunes Roknest showed approximately the same hydrogen content – 1-3%. Furthermore, using ChemCam possible to establish two basic types of soils – fine-grained. Fine-grained dust covers most of the surface of Mars, and is the basic “holder” of hydrogen found.

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According to scientists, it is stored in it most of the hydrogen, which is (in a slightly higher concentrations) was recorded earlier on board the orbital mission, Mars Odyssey.

dug deeper

In a separate experiment rover dug soil and water content is measured at beginning of the experiment and after some time. Found that freshly ground dries up – the hydrogen concentration therein does not decrease with time. “In principle, future astronauts could extract water for their needs, warming the soil” – suggests Viens.
Researcher David Bish, using data from X-ray spectrometer CheMin, found that 71% of the lining area Roknest rocks are of volcanic origin. With him agrees David Black, who, using a different X-ray technique to estimate the density of basalt much lower – only 55%.

analysis of the water content and volatile matter in the soil is devoted to the work carried out on the basis of the instrument SAM (team leader – Laurie Leshin). This device is studying rock samples by heating them and exploring the escaping gases (called pyrolysis). In addition to oxygen, carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds found in rocks of the significant content of chlorate and perchlorate, previously found in the North Pole.

From

SAM was analyzed and the ratio of hydrogen isotopes in dedicated carbon upon heating water and carbon dioxide. It turned out that the ratio of power that was previously obtained in studies of soil samples. This indicates that between the rarefied Martian atmosphere and surface of the planet is a constant exchange. “The ratio of isotopes of hydrogen and carbon supports the idea that the dust flying around the planet, comes into contact with certain gases in the atmosphere” – believes Leshin.