[meteorite-list] OCEANS ON MARS

From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:45:14 -0500
Message-ID: <003a01c7adfb$bf779430$c3e08c46_at_ATARIENGINE>

    When Viking got to Mars, it found what looked like
clear evidence of the shoreline of a vast ancient sea. Exciting.
Later, closer looks show that the "shoreline" was not
level; it "waved" up and down. Shorelines don't do
that -- goodbye to the Seas of Barsoom.

    Geophysicists at UC Berkeley have created a simple
model that explains the "wavy" wrinkled shoreline, and
now it looks like the Ancient Seas of Mars are possible,
even likely. This Ocean would have covered a goodly
fraction of the planet and been 4000 to 6000 feet deep!

    Needless to say this is way too much water to have
been lost to space by leaking out of the atmosphere, so
the question is, "Excuse me, but where are you hiding
the ocean?"

Mars Probably Once Had A Huge Ocean:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070613131912.htm

    The full paper will appear in the journal Nature tomorrow,
if anyone who wants it has access. Meanwhile, we can put
a sedimentary Martian Meteorite on the list of things we want
the universe to give us for Christmas.


Sterling K. Webb
Received on Wed 13 Jun 2007 04:45:14 PM PDT