Mars bone-dry – Republic

Two different variants of the history of Mars – warm and cold / Robin D. Wordsworth

Source: press materials

Is this the end of dreams about life on the Red Planet? Water oceans could exist there will never – according to new computer simulations.

For several decades there is a belief among scientists that Mars approx. 3 – 4 billion years ago was warm and moist, and the oceans left their marks in the surface visible to this day. The average global temperature was 10 degrees Celsius. These were perfect conditions for life. His traces are looking for practically all probes sent to Mars.

The fact that at that time it was a planet – “Snow White” with a mean temperature of -48 deg. Celsius, and all the water was trapped as ice, scientists rarely mentioned. Professor Robin Wordsworth, Paulson Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences decided to test both scenarios. He used spatial models of the Martian atmosphere and water circulation from 3 – 4 billion years.

Given the history of the Sun and change obliquity of Mars by analysis concluded that the cold Martian history was more likely. This is evidenced by traces of erosion on the surface of the planet, which intrigued scientists since their discovery by Viking in the 70s of last century.

Screenplay cold Martian better explain the present appearance of the surface – explains Professor. Wordsworth. -Zwłaszcza that Mars receives only 43 percent, solar energy, is using the Earth, and the billions of years ago our star was probably about one-fourth darker.

Wordsworth admits that they are on Mars traces of flowing water. Where it comes from, even though the planet was completely frozen? The researchers believe that could occur as a result of volcanic eruptions.

– The key question is – how long have maintained – explains Professor. Wordsworth. – Over the answer to this question we have to work on.