Red Mars

[Hellburner]

Ice oceans found on Mars

Having water just below the surface will be an enormous boon to astronauts on Mars.

Water is essential for life, so the discovery enhances the belief that Mars could have had life in the past and perhaps in the present as well.

 

[RaySun2Be]

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Some Old Guy

I must agree!

 

[Eponymous]

Could someone explain how melting the Ice frozen beneath the ground would
create a 500 meter deep planet wide ocean?

Isn't the volume of frozen water the same to slightly larger then melted water?

Or are they filling in the hole they got it out of first?

And that must be a BIG hole!!!!

Or is it that you need to dig down 500 Meter to find this new planet wide ocean?

These Silly questions needed to be Asked.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Eponymous
Could someone explain how melting the Ice frozen beneath the ground would
create a 500 meter deep planet wide ocean?

Isn't the volume of frozen water the same to slightly larger then melted water?

Or are they filling in the hole they got it out of first?

And that must be a BIG hole!!!!

Or is it that you need to dig down 500 Meter to find this new planet wide ocean?

These Silly questions needed to be Asked.

My understanding is that salt water actually shrinks when frozen, hence if the ice were based on salt water, melting it would take up more space. That said, this is very cool discovery indeed.

 

[Smoke]

The presence of such a vast amount of ice - if it were to melt it could cover the planet in an ocean at least 500 metres deep (1640 feet) - will change profoundly the direction of future exploration.

I don't think they mean the entire surface of Mars would be under a 500 metre ocean but that where the water would "pool" there would be oceans with an average? depth of 500 metres. A hypothetical.

 

[Postman]

Who's gonna reg www.martianwater4cheap.com?

 

[Assimilator1]

Thanks for the link HellBurner

 

[Crazee]

Originally posted by: Postman
Who's gonna reg www.martianwater4cheap.com?

Actually I am going to register www.martianspringwater.com

You can go for the low income crowd, I am going for the people who drink Evian water

 

[networkman]

You can go for the low income crowd, I am going for the people who drink Evian water

Hmm.. might wanna re-think that stratedgy there Crazee.. you have noticed what Evian spelled backward is haven't you?

 

[Robor]

Yep, I do drink bottled water at home but I know I'm getting ripped off. I'm just too lazy to carry empty jugs to get them refilled. Gotta wonder about bottled water at $2.49 for a 2.5 gallon jug. It wasn't long ago that regular unleaded was similar in price (here in the US). I'm no expert on either subject but I'm guessing the Oil companies have put their product through a more expensive "refining" process than the guys at the spring.

 

[LiveLongAndProsper]

Thanks for the interesting link HB!
And if anyone travels to Mars, don't drink the water....

 

[CurtOien]

"Could someone explain how melting the Ice frozen beneath the ground would
create a 500 meter deep planet wide ocean?"

First, you need a planet with an ocean.
Next, you cool the planet until the ocean freezes.
Now, let cosmic dust, asteroids and wind storms cover the ocean with dirt and dust.
Finally, melt it and let the dirt sink to the bottom.

EDIT: The article says "Melted, would create planet-wide ocean 500 metres deep"
I think this figure is given so that we have an idea of the volume of water that is on Mars.
This would be if the planet was a perfect sphere and all the water was melted and on the outside of this sphere.

 

[Smoke]

That's what I surmised also, Curt.

/great minds think alike

 

[Polo]

Thanks for the link HB.

 

[Wiz]

I live in one of the few places on the planet where the water system is what I would call 'perfect'.
I have traveled every state in the US, plus parts of Canada & Mexico. I have lived in Florida, California, Alaska, Oregon & Washington.
I've never had water any better than what comes out of my tap. I have certainly had much worse, but never better.
They bottle the water that comes to my tap under the label "Talking Rain". The city requires that they get theirs after the residential water needs are met.
It is mountain spring water, literally piped to our homes. Tastes good too, and is one of the reasons I decided to buy property here.

Anyway, very cool about the water on Mars. Guess the "Martian canals" crowd is probably enjoying this.

 

[Smoke]

WIZ, Now you've given me another reason to visit.

 

[ElFenix]

so... when is a manned mission going?

 

[networkman]

SmokeBall said: WIZ, Now you've given me another reason to visit.

ElFenix said: so... when is a manned mission going?

And poor me.. I'm trying to figure out if they're talking about Mars or Washington??

 

[Smoke]

 

[ViRGE]

Wiz, come visit Salem sometime if you already haven't. We have the world's largest slow-sand filtration system among other things, so I think you'll find our water the best(Money magazine sure did).