Photos suggest flowing water on Mars

by Andy Smith | August 4, 2011 12:54pm PDT
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona




Several observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show evidence of salt water flowing during the warmest months on Mars. The discovery of dark finger-like features that grow and fade during the seasons give new hope to the possible existance of life on the Red Planet.

"The best explanation for these observations so far is the flow of briny water," said Alfred McEwen of the University of Arizona, Tucson. McEwen is the principal investigator for the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE).

More than 1,000 individual flows have been discovered from 0.5 to 5 yards wide with lengths of hundreds of yards long.

This image shows flows that appear in spring and summer on a slope inside Mars' Newton crater.
Previously, on Mars: Gallery: Landing site chosen for new Mars rover Curiosity and What rover Spirit discovered on Mars.




This before and after look shows the features of possible water flows.
Scientists believe it must be salt water as the temperatures encountered would freeze fresh water but would allow salt water to flow as its freezing termperature is lower.
The images show a slope on the Newton crater.

The image above taken in a colder season shows no evidence of water flow while the evidence does exist in the lower image taken in the Martian summer.



Here is a similar looking flow in the Horowitz crater.



Possible water flows are shown at the arrow below which faces the Martian equator.



Potential salty water flows at the Horowitz crater.

Source: ZD Net Gallery
http://www.zdnet.com/photos/gallery-photos-suggest-flowing-water-on-mars