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Aggie scientists search for signs of life on Mars
By: Nick Anthis
Issue date: 2/9/05 Section: Aggielife
Opportunity landed in a region called Meridiani Planum, which was chosen because of the presence of rare deposits of hematite, a mineral often formed by liquid water and mysterious white streaks. Before Opportunity landed, though, scientists did not know whether the hematite deposits were formed by water or volcanic activity.
Opportunity identified the mysterious white streaks as salt deposits, left behind as an ancient sea evaporated, and it found ripples and mud cracks caused by liquid water.
"We found out, as most people suspected, that there had been water there, and we know that for sure now," Lemmon said.
Meridiani once held a body of water at least as large as a small sea. It could have even held a large ocean, but due to Opportunity's limited mobility, scientists do not know its true extent. Opportunity is still functioning, and Lemmon said it will continue driving south to find the boundary of this ancient body of water.
The presence of an ancient sea indicates that the conditions on Mars may have once been similar to the conditions that spawned Earth's first primordial life forms.
There is still water on Mars, but only in the form of ice, due to surface temperatures that rarely climb above freezing and can dip below negative 200 degrees Fahrenheit at the poles. Most of the water on Mars today exists as permafrost below the surface.
Lemmon is working on the Phoenix Lander, which is scheduled to land on Mars in 2008. It will dig into the permafrost to search for salts and organic molecules that could indicate an environment once favorable for life.
"We don't think (Mars) is inhabited now," Lemmon said. "We won't have life detecting equipment, but we're looking to see if there are energy sources for life and things that would kill life."
McDaniel said manned exploration will be necessary to find life on Mars.
"I have been very impressed with the robot missions," McDaniel said, but "robots cannot be intuitive."
Opportunity identified the mysterious white streaks as salt deposits, left behind as an ancient sea evaporated, and it found ripples and mud cracks caused by liquid water.
"We found out, as most people suspected, that there had been water there, and we know that for sure now," Lemmon said.
Meridiani once held a body of water at least as large as a small sea. It could have even held a large ocean, but due to Opportunity's limited mobility, scientists do not know its true extent. Opportunity is still functioning, and Lemmon said it will continue driving south to find the boundary of this ancient body of water.
The presence of an ancient sea indicates that the conditions on Mars may have once been similar to the conditions that spawned Earth's first primordial life forms.
There is still water on Mars, but only in the form of ice, due to surface temperatures that rarely climb above freezing and can dip below negative 200 degrees Fahrenheit at the poles. Most of the water on Mars today exists as permafrost below the surface.
Lemmon is working on the Phoenix Lander, which is scheduled to land on Mars in 2008. It will dig into the permafrost to search for salts and organic molecules that could indicate an environment once favorable for life.
"We don't think (Mars) is inhabited now," Lemmon said. "We won't have life detecting equipment, but we're looking to see if there are energy sources for life and things that would kill life."
McDaniel said manned exploration will be necessary to find life on Mars.
"I have been very impressed with the robot missions," McDaniel said, but "robots cannot be intuitive."
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