Mars Water Debate Still Rages

[alexblackwell]

<i>Published online today in <i>Geophysical Research Letters</i>:<br /><br />Jerolmack, Douglas J.; Mohrig, David; Zuber, Maria T.; Byrne, Shane<br /><b>A minimum time for the formation of Holden Northeast fan, Mars</b><br /><i>Geophys. Res. Lett</i>., Vol. 31, No. 21, L21701<br />10.1029/2004GL021326<br />10 November 2004<br />Abstract</i><br /><br />For those without access to <i>GRL</i>, an ~292 Kb PDF reprint is available.

 

[alexblackwell]

From the November 19, 2004 issue of <i>Science</i>:<br /><br /><b>Mars' South Polar Ar Enhancement: A Tracer for South Polar Seasonal Meridional Mixing</b><br />A. L. Sprague, W. V. Boynton, K. E. Kerry, D. M. Janes, D. M. Hunten, K. J. Kim, R. C. Reedy, and A. E. Metzger<br /><i>Science</i> <b>306</b>, 1364-1367, (2004)<br />Published online 7 October 2004 [DOI: 10.1126/science.1098496] (in <i>Science</i> Express Reports)<br />Abstract<br />Supporting Online Material<br /><br />See also the accompanying <b>Perspectives</b> piece, "Alien Weather at the Poles of Mars," by Francois Forget.

 

[alexblackwell]

Published online today in the <i>Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets</i>:<br /><br />Stepinski, T. F.; Collier, M. L.<br /><b>Extraction of Martian valley networks from digital topography</b><br /><i>J. Geophys. Res</i>., Vol. 109, No. E11, E11005<br />10.1029/2004JE002269<br />19 November 2004<br />Abstract<br /><br />Note that an 810 Kb PDF preprint is still <i><b>temporarily</b></i> available.

 

[alexblackwell]

Mars Global Surveyor<br />Mars Orbiter Camera<br />Small Gullied Crater<br />MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-914, 18 November 2004<br />http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2004/11/18/index.html

 

[alexblackwell]

Published online today in the journal <i>Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems (G³)</i>:<br /><br /><b>Icelandic analogs to Martian flood lavas</b><br />Keszthelyi, Laszlo; Thordarson, Thorvaldur; McEwen, Alfred; Haack, Henning; Guilbaud, Marie-Noelle; Self, Stephen; Rossi, Matti J.<br /><i>Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst</i>., Vol. 5, No. 11, Q11014<br />DOI 10.1029/2004GC000758<br />23 November 2004<br />Abstract

 

[thechemist]

Martian Retrospective<br />"Mars Life Summary (Nov 24, 2004): As the rovers try to survive the dead of martian winter, what do readers want to know about their first nine-months on the red planet? Questions and answers range from how long the rovers may last to what it's like to live four months on martian time. " Astrobiology Magazine.<br />A plain and simple summary. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[alexblackwell]

From the December 2004 issue of <i>Geology</i>:<br /><br /><b>Weathering of iron-rich phases in simulated Martian atmospheres</b><br />Vincent Chevrier, Pierre Rochette, Pierre-Etienne Mathé and Olivier Grauby<br /><i>Geology</i> <b>32</b>, 1033–1036, (2004).<br />Abstract

 

[alexblackwell]

Published online today in <i>Geophysical Research Letters</i>:<br /><br /><i>Böttger, H. M.; Lewis, S. R.; Read, P. L.; Forget, F.</i><br /><b>The effect of a global dust storm on simulations of the Martian water cycle</b><br /><i>Geophys. Res. Lett</i>., Vol. 31, No. 22, L22702<br />10.1029/2004GL021137<br />30 November 2004<br />Abstract

 

[alexblackwell]

Mars Express Status Report - November 2004<br /><br />"Science highlights<br /><br />"A dedicated Mars Express Science Conference will take place at ESTEC on the week of 21-25 February 2005.<br /><br />"A very successful international Mars conference was held in Ischia, Italy from 19-23 September 2004. A significant number of recent results from Mars-Express were presented, as summarized hereafter.<br /><br />"It is generally believed, and indicated by results from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), there once were abundant fluvial activities active on Mars. However, even though recent OMEGA observations confirm that today water still exists as vast fields of perennial water ice, stretching out from its South pole, an efficient mechanism for removing water from the planet must have been at work. Recent results from the ASPERA instrument on board Mars Express confirm that such a process is at work in the Martian atmosphere, explaining the loss of water over time. It is believed the solar wind erodes the atmosphere of Mars, and strips away large amounts of water that were present on the planet about 3.8 billion years ago. The ASPERA instrument on board Mars Express has measured a process called 'solar wind scavenging', or the slow 'invisible' escape of volatile gases and liquid compounds which make up the atmosphere and hydrosphere of a planet. These measurements have established that the solar wind penetrates through the ionosphere and very deeply into the Martian atmosphere down to an altitude of 270 kilometres. This seems to be the reason for the acceleration processes that could explain the loss of atmosphere on Mars.<br /><br />"Measurements by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) reveal that, at 10-15 kilometres above the surface, water vapour is well mixed and uniform in the atmosphere. However, it found that, close to the surface, water vapour is more concentrated in three broad e

 

[eric_apollo]

Subject: User Name: Mental_Avenger<br /><br />To Whom It May Concern,<br /><br />The above person, user name Mental_Avenger has continued to purposely spread lies and disinformation about the International Space Agency and Mr. Rick Dobson.<br /><br />This person has taken a number of user names on Space.Com and on other Space Message Boards, to spread their lies and disinformation.<br /><br />This person has, and is, working either with, or on the behalf of, some unknown organization or group that has been conducting a focused smear and propaganda campaign now for a number of years against the International Space Agency and Mr. Rick Dobson.<br /><br />This person has been baiting people, and entering posts which the International Space Agency has made, with the "specific purpose" of slandering, causing trouble, and spreading lies & disinformation. And to specifically disrupt and derail these positive posts, and to chase people away. This persons malicious and vindictive actions have been constant and very threatening.<br /><br />We are asking that these slanderous and illegal acts be stopped, and that we obtain the personal information of this person for legal action for criminal defamation of character and slander, and to report this person to Law Enforcement for making terroristic threats against the Chairman & CEO of the International Space Agency, Mr. Rick Dobson. This person "Mental_Avenger" has been making a number of terroristic threats against the Chairman & CEO of the International Space Agency, Mr. Rick Dobson.<br /><br />The International Space Agency or Mr. Dobson has never done anything wrong on Space.Com, and has never been anything less than positive, or has presented anything other than uplifting and factual information to the Space.Com community and posting board.<br /><br />It is criminal to allow this person "Mental_Avenger" to defame, smear, and attack legitimate organizations and people with impunity. This is not a freedom of speech issue, as th

 

[alexblackwell]

Apparrently, the Opportunity results are slated to published online later today in the December 3, 2004 issue of <i>Science</i>:<br /><br />With Proof of Ancient Water on Mars, Researchers Consider Life's Chances<br />By Tariq Malik<br />Staff Writer<br />posted: 2 December 2004<br />2:00 p.m. ET

 

[alexblackwell]

The December 3, 2004 issue of <i>Science</i> is now online, and it contains 14 papers detailing the findings of Opportunity.

 

[alexblackwell]

News: Reports Detail Rover Discoveries of Wet Martian History<br />Jet Propulsion Laboratory<br />December 2, 2004<br /><br />Conditions on vast plain on Mars could have been suitable for life, Cornell rover scientist Squyres states in special <i>Science</i> issue<br />Cornell News<br />December 2, 2004

 

[alexblackwell]

From the December 1, 2004 issue of <i>Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta</i>:<br /><br /><b>The composition and evolution of primordial solutions on Mars, with application to other planetary bodies</b><br />P.L. King, D.T. Lescinsky and H.W. Nesbitt<br /><i>Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta</i> <b>68</b>, 4993-5008, (2004).<br />Abstract

 

[thechemist]

Please allow me to expell a huge curse towards my university library for not having electronic access to Science <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>I feel better than James Brown.</em> </div>

 

[alexblackwell]

Published online today in the <i>Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets</i>:<br /><br /><i>Hinson, D. P.; Smith, M. D.; Conrath, B. J.</i><br /><b>Comparison of atmospheric temperatures obtained through infrared sounding and radio occultation by Mars Global Surveyor</b><br /><i>J. Geophys. Res</i>., Vol. 109, No. E12, E12002<br />10.1029/2004JE002344<br />04 December 2004<br />Abstract

 

[alexblackwell]

<i>From the December 1, 2004 issue of <i>Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta</i>:<br /><br /><b>The composition and evolution of primordial solutions on Mars, with application to other planetary bodies</b><br />P.L. King, D.T. Lescinsky and H.W. Nesbitt<br /><i>Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta</i> <b>68</b>, 4993-5008, (2004).<br />Abstract</i><br /><br />~641 Kb PDF Preprint

 

[alexblackwell]

Mars Aeronomy Workshop<br />August 18-19, 2004<br />Washington, D.C.<br /><br />Workshop Presentations

 

[alexblackwell]

Looking for Water on the Red Planet<br />National Public Radio<br /><br /><i>Talk of the Nation</i>, December 3, 2004 · Scientists exploring Mars via the rover 'Opportunity' published 11 papers detailing the progress of the research being done in an area called Meridiani Planum. The results, they say, are the first geological and geochemical documentation of water on the Red Planet.<br /><br />Guest: <br /><br />Steve Squyres, principal investigator, NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission. Professor of astronomy, Cornell University

 

[alexblackwell]

Mars Global Surveyor<br />Mars Orbiter Camera<br />Layers in Shalbatana Vallis<br />MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-931, 5 December 2004

 

[alexblackwell]

There's a new preprint available in <i>JGR-Planets in Press</i>:<br /><br /><i>Richardson, Mark; Mischna, Michael</i>, — November 2004<br /><b>The Long-Term Evolution of Transient Liquid Water on Mars</b><br />(2004JE002367)<br />PDF [10.6 MB]<br /><br />Note: I believe <i>JGR-Planets in Press</i> is accessible to non-subscribers.

 

[alexblackwell]

Note that there are two more preprints available at <i>JGR-Planets in Press</i>:<br /><br /><i>Zacny, Kris; Quayle, Michael; Cooper, George</i>, — December 2004<br /><b>Enhancing Cuttings Removal with Gas Blasts While Drilling on Mars</b>,<br />(2004JE002340)<br />PDF [1.54 MB]<br /><br /><i>Maattanen, Anni; Vehkamaki, Hanna; Lauri, Antti; Marikallio, Sini; Kauhanen, Janne; Savijarvi, Hannu; Kulmala, Markku</i>, — November 2004<br /><b>Nucleation Studies in the Martian Atmosphere</b>,<br />(2004JE002308)<br />PDF [245 Kb]

 

[alexblackwell]

For those who do not have real time access to the <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</i>, note that papers become freely available online six months after publication. I may have mentioned this here before the SDC meltdown, but in case I did not, below is an interesting paper from the June 8, 2004 issue of <i>PNAS</i>:<br /><br /><b>Dry granular flows can generate surface features resembling those seen in Martian gullies</b><br />Troy Shinbrot, N.-H. Duong, L. Kwan, and M. M. Alvarez <br /><i>Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci</i>. <b>101</b>, 8542-8546, (2004); published online before print May 28, 2004, 10.1073/pnas.0308251101.<br />Full Text<br />Supporting Information<br /><br />See also <br /><br />"Dust rocks martian river theory"<br /><br />and<br /><br />Great Debate<br />Larry Klaes<br /><i>Ithaca Times</i><br />November 3, 2004

 

[alexblackwell]

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it here or not, but Dan Berman <i>et al</i>. of the Planetary Science Institute have an interesting paper in review with <i>Icarus</i>:<br /><br /><b>The role of arcuate ridges and gullies in the degradation of craters in the Newton Basin region of Mars</b><br />Berman, D. C., W. K. Hartmann, D. A. Crown, and V. R. Baker<br /><i>Icarus</i>, In Review, 2004.<br /><br />~9.11 Mb PDF Preprint

 

[alexblackwell]

Mars Rovers Spot Water-Clue Mineral, Frost, Clouds<br />Jet Propulsion Laboratory<br />December 13, 2004