NASA Hi Rise Mission Image Showing the remains of an ancient lake bed
September 30th 2010 01:08
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NASA Hi Rise Mission Image Showing the remaiens of an ancent lake bed
To look at this image you would perhaps assume that it was taken on Earth.
This particular image was taken in April 2009 by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) orbiting Mars.
The image was taken over the region named Coprates Catena, Valles Marineris.
It shows a fan- like deposit ,the possibility being water that has evaporated leaving a fan like deposit.
The ancient water flow making its way along a 45 km valley through a deep trough forming a stepped fan some 1100 meter in height.
The origin of the fan is not known, there is evidence that this region had stationary water at a depth of 500 meters,this would have been a favorable pace for life during a period when climatic conditions allowed water to flow.
It is suggested that water originated from volcanic activity. The melting of ice eroded and transported material along the contributing valley.
This material was subsequently deposited as a delta in a lake within the trough. The concentric terraces formed as the result of ice cover erosion along the shoreline as the result of dropping water levels in the lake..
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by CarlCan
Astroearth
Camera Sense
Thank you for the comment, interesting question.
There is no definitive chemical analysis on Martian water yet. Although it would have minerals and salts in similar composition to Earth`s water.
Suffices to say that this "water ice." It's probably not drinkable at least not by humans.