Planetary Probings
By Sarah Gillham
Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, scientists were searching frantically for life on Mars. They didn’t quite find what they were looking for, but they did find the next best thing... good old H2O.
Now this may not seem like the exciting find you were hoping for, but it is in fact, far from an anticlimax. The presence of this clear liquid, often taken for granted by you and I, is fundamental not only to the understanding of climate on Mars but more to the point, for the revelation that ET was not a fictional character but was, in fact based on a true story.
Mars, the seventh largest planet in the solar system, has long been the focus of space related research, however now, more so than ever. The European Space Agencies’ (ESA) orbiter ‘Mars Express’ has been at the forefront of the water findings.
The Mars Express scientists, Jean-Pierre Bieburg, John Murray and Gerhard Neukum have used three instruments in particular to make the discoveries possible. For over a year now, the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS to you and I) has been probing deep down in to the planets surface and has revealed that the upper layers contain water ice. No doubt Richard Branson’s space agency, Virgin Galactic will be cashing in any minute to supply ‘Virgin Red’, water sourced straight from the red planet!
A High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) has also shown huge channels and crevices supposedly formed by flowing water. It seems that evidence of much of this erosion points to quite recent times... only thirty million years ago.
These findings could quadruple the future property development potential of Mars as the UK market becomes saturated and investors look to purchase waterside property abroad. The filming for ‘A Place in the Sun’ has been somewhat delayed however due to extreme weather conditions on location and the slight downfall of a possible 4,320-hour long journey time (approx six months!) to reach the red planet. This is one trip where an upgrade may be best, there’s no way I’m travelling cattle class!
Now this may not seem like the exciting find you were hoping for, but it is in fact, far from an anticlimax. The presence of this clear liquid, often taken for granted by you and I, is fundamental not only to the understanding of climate on Mars but more to the point, for the revelation that ET was not a fictional character but was, in fact based on a true story.
Mars, the seventh largest planet in the solar system, has long been the focus of space related research, however now, more so than ever. The European Space Agencies’ (ESA) orbiter ‘Mars Express’ has been at the forefront of the water findings.
The Mars Express scientists, Jean-Pierre Bieburg, John Murray and Gerhard Neukum have used three instruments in particular to make the discoveries possible. For over a year now, the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS to you and I) has been probing deep down in to the planets surface and has revealed that the upper layers contain water ice. No doubt Richard Branson’s space agency, Virgin Galactic will be cashing in any minute to supply ‘Virgin Red’, water sourced straight from the red planet!
A High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) has also shown huge channels and crevices supposedly formed by flowing water. It seems that evidence of much of this erosion points to quite recent times... only thirty million years ago.
These findings could quadruple the future property development potential of Mars as the UK market becomes saturated and investors look to purchase waterside property abroad. The filming for ‘A Place in the Sun’ has been somewhat delayed however due to extreme weather conditions on location and the slight downfall of a possible 4,320-hour long journey time (approx six months!) to reach the red planet. This is one trip where an upgrade may be best, there’s no way I’m travelling cattle class!
Image: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)
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