[meteorite-list] Mineral Discovery Explains Mars' Landscape

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Oct 23 17:44:57 2006
Message-ID: <200610232144.OAA21350_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://qnc.queensu.ca/story_loader.php?id=4538e2391d442

Mineral discovery explains Mars' landscape
Queen's University (Canada)
October 20, 2006

A Queen's University researcher has discovered a mineral that could
explain the mountainous landscape of Mars, and have implications for
NASA's next mission to the planet.

"Satellites orbiting Mars show us images of canyons and gullies that
appear to have been created by a flood or rapid out-washing," says Ron
Peterson, Queen's geologist. "Exploration rovers, currently moving about
on the planet's surface, also show us that there is no visible water on
the surface of Mars, but that there was in the past."

Dr. Peterson suggests that Mars was likely wetter in the past. All of
the images that are coming back from the rovers show layering in the
rock which is indicative of sediment manipulated by water. This kind of
out-wash would require a fair amount of water on the planet at some point.

The study, published this week in GEOLOGY, a publication of the
Geological Society of America, suggests that these findings may provide
insight into how to retrieve a sample of Mars' surface and return it to
earth.

Dr. Peterson will share his findings with NASA at the Johnson Space
Centre in Houston next week to provide insight into designing the next
Mars exploration rover and planning its mission.

The discovery was made in Dr. Peterson's unheated garage using epsomite,
also known as Epsom salts. The solution was left to crystallize for
several days at temperatures below freezing, which formed crystals that
have unusual properties. The crystals were then rapidly melted, which
created mould-like channels and gullies - similar to what we see on the
surface of Mars.

Martian terrain may have been created in a similar fashion. Dr. Peterson
suggests that many years ago, water interacted with rocks on the surface
of the planet to create an acidic cocktail, which created layers of
material. When the surface layer melted, it created the topography that
exploration rovers show us today.

"These findings may help us better understand the surface of Mars," says
Dr. Peterson, expert in geological science and engineering. "These
possible new minerals that may be found on Earth help us see that
although there are many differences between Earth and Mars, such as
atmosphere and gravity, there are many things that are the same - it is
another world, but there are certainly similarities."

PLEASE NOTE: A PDF copy of the study is available upon request.

Contact:

Molly Kehoe, (613) 533-2877, molly.kehoe_at_queensu.ca
Lorinda Peterson, (613) 533-3234, lorinda.peterson_at_queensu.ca
Received on Mon 23 Oct 2006 05:44:54 PM PDT