There’s stronger scientific evidence than ever of the presence of water on Mars. That’s the finding of research that includes University of Arizona scientists.
NASA announced the results of a new study about the Red Planet Monday. It suggests salty liquid water flows seasonally on Mars.
Pictures from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft detected recurring surface features on the slopes of Martian hillsides, and scientists think they’re evidence of water flowing from melting ice or an underground source.
University of Arizona planetary scientist Alfred McEwen is among the researchers working on the project. He said the university's HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Orbiter revealed surface lines that fade and reappear during the course of a Martian year.
“These features are very sensitive to the temperature, they form at different times and at different latitudes on Mars, all dependent on the seasonal variations at those locations. And the darkening and the seasonal dependence can be explained if these are seeps of water,” McEwen said.
The HiRISE camera was built at the University of Arizona and launched with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter a decade ago.
KJZZ's Phil Latzman contributed to this report.