Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. The distance from it to the celestial body is 227.9 kilometers. Mars, which for its rusty red color is also called the Red Planet, is located near the Earth. Only Venus is closer to us from him.
Humanity has known about Mars since ancient times. Even in ancient Chinese chronicles, the "Fiery Star" is repeatedly mentioned. The cosmic fellow of the Earth has long been carefully studied by people. However, despite dozens of aircraft sent to Mars, the mysteries and secrets of this planet for the most part remain unsolved.
The duplicity of the red planet
For many decades, scientists have been interested in the mystery of Mars, associated with its unusual relief. The fact is that there is a huge difference between the northern and southern hemispheres of this cosmic body. The first of these is the smoothest place that could be found in our solar system. Its relief is low and flat. Scientists suggest that such a surface was formed under the influence of water, large volumes of which were here many years ago.
But the Southern Hemisphere, as opposed to the Northern Hemisphere, is completely riddled with craters of various sizes. In addition, it is higher by an average of 4-8 kilometers. Do scientists have an assumption about the reasons for the formation of such an unusual relief, what in this case is the solution to the mystery of Mars? NASA, which conducts active research on the Red Planet, suggests that such differences are most likely caused either by “space bombardment” by small objects, or by the fall of a giant asteroid that happened in the distant past. However, so far no one can unequivocally explain the reason for such a big difference in the relief of the Martian hemispheres.
Age differences
Scientists estimate that on Mars there are 3,305 craters from meteorites that hit the surface, whose diameter exceeds 30 km. The vast majority of them (3068) are located in the Southern Hemisphere. And only 237 craters are found in the low part of the planet. A similar fact indicates a difference in the age of the two hemispheres. That is, the southern part of Mars is more ancient, and the northern one is young.
Methane in the atmosphere
What other mysteries of our space colleague are NASA scientists working on? The mystery of Mars, an unambiguous explanation of which has not yet been received, concerns the presence of methane present in the atmosphere of the Red Planet. On Earth, this colorless gas, which is the simplest hydrocarbon, is produced biologically. Its appearance is facilitated by the processes of biochemical and chemical transformation of organic substances. So, a significant source of methane on our planet is the biogenic fermentation of the mass of manure in cattle. According to scientists, methane in the atmosphere of Mars can exist in its original form for only three hundred years. That is, according to our earthly ideas, this gas on the Red Planet simply should not be. Nevertheless, it is present in the atmosphere of Mars, and in rather large quantities. Where does he come from? It is believed that the key to the mystery of Mars lies in its volcanic activity. However, the research vehicles that visited the Red Planet did not find any signs of this process. So the search for the source of methane continues.
Is there liquid water on Mars?
Based on the relief of the Red Planet, scientists suggest that once upon a time there was a whole ocean on it. In addition, according to indirect data obtained from research satellites, it can be concluded that in the past whole flows of water flowed along Mars. On the one hand, there is not enough atmospheric pressure on the Red Planet to maintain the liquid state of matter. But on the other hand, in the pictures of aircraft on the slopes of the hills of the planet, narrow lines of dark color are clearly visible, which will make it possible to make an assumption about the passage of salt water here in the spring season.
Discovery of scientists
The American agency NASA revealed the secret of Mars regarding the presence of liquid water on it. This was announced on September 28, 2015 by his representatives at a press conference specially gathered on this occasion. This event was broadcast on the agency’s website and live on NASA Television. In addition, a publication on the main results of this conference appeared in Nature Geoscience.
The main conclusion of the event was that NASA solved the mystery of Mars. Agency scientists said that on the Red Planet there are streams of salty liquid water that are seasonal in nature. Similar formations appear in the warm period and disappear in the cold.
Scientists reported that NASA revealed the secret of Mars thanks to high-quality images obtained from the orbiting Martian satellite. The data was announced:
- NASA's chief planetologist - Jim Green;
- Leading researcher of the Red Planet - Michael Meyer;
- Scientists from the California Research Center - Mary Bet Wilhelm;
- Scientists from Georgia working at the Technological Institute - Luhendra Oyha;
- The main specialist in a scientific instrument from the University of Arizona - Alfred McEoon.
In confirmation of the fact that the main secret of Mars was revealed, scientists provided the public with a special method that allowed them to get a more accurate spectral analysis of the obtained images. As a result of the research, convincing evidence was obtained that there are hydrated salts (perchlorates) on the slopes. Some of these compounds allow the liquid to not freeze even at a temperature of minus seventy degrees Celsius. Scientists have previously discovered perchlorates on Mars, however, their hydrated form for the first time.
Objective picture
According to NASA scientists, streams of salt water periodically appear and disappear on the slopes of Martian hills. Their width reaches a maximum of five meters. Researchers note that perchlorates on the Red Planet were found only in areas where salty rivers flow. Even traces of such compounds were not found in neighboring areas.
Question of the existence of life
The secrets of Mars continue to excite the minds of mankind. And the main one concerns the presence of living beings on the Red Planet. It all began in 1877, when the Italian astronomer Giovanni Sciparelli discovered entire systems of straight long lines, which were later called "Martian channels." From that moment, the main secret of Mars began to lie in the answer to the question: “Does life exist on it?” Moreover, science fiction writers implied the presence on the Red Planet of intelligent civilization.
It was later undeniably proven that Mars is very dry and cold. In addition, its atmosphere is much less discharged than on Earth. The channels turned out to be nothing more than an optical illusion that arose when examining the planet through a telescope.
Hopes to find brothers in space finally melted in 1965, when the Mariner-4 probe transmitted photographs of a lifeless surface to Earth. Then it seemed that the question of the existence of life on Mars put a fat point. However, eleven years later, the apparatus from the Viking series reached the Red Planet. And then scientists realized that the question of the existence of life on Mars can again be considered open. Subsequently, various studies of the chemical activity of the soil layers were carried out, organic molecules of methyl chloride and dichloromethane were found, on the surface images found formations similar to dried river beds, etc. All this caused a lot of debate and discussion, which continues to this day.
Plans for further study of the Red Planet
The secrets of Mars continue to be revealed. After NASA discovered the presence of salt water on the planet, it became quite likely that life existed on it. The American agency even promised to find confirmation of this no more than in the next 10-20 years. This forecast was announced on 04/07/2015 by NASA chief research officer Ellen Stofan. And on May 15, 2015, representatives of the agency announced the immediate task of NASA - the delivery of man to Mars.
Currently, five stations are operating in the orbit of the Earth’s neighbor. Three of them are launched by NASA. Also in the United States, two research laboratories are preparing to ship. The start of the first of them should take place in March 2016. The task of this laboratory is to study the structure of the bowels of the Red Planet to five meter depths, as well as the temperature distribution in them. The launch of the second laboratory is planned to be carried out in 2020. It must collect all the necessary data that will make it possible to carry out manned flights to our space neighbor in the 2030s. According to preliminary calculations, the astronauts journey in both directions will take about five hundred days.
"Glass Worms"
It is possible that the flight of astronauts will reveal many other secrets of Mars. One of them is mysterious objects, which researchers call “glass pipes”, “glass tunnels” or “glass worms”.
Scientists suggest that all of them are the result of life on the Red Planet in the distant past. These tube-shaped objects sometimes reflect light and look like perforated tunnels, pipes or giant earthworms.
Possible disasters
What other secrets of Mars excite humanity? To date, scientists do not dispute the fact that the Red Planet had a hydrosphere and atmosphere. It is assumed that they were thrown into outer space as a result of the disaster. Scientists also agree that Mars once had a humid and relatively warm habitat suitable for higher forms of life.
The cause of the disaster is the fall of three huge asteroids onto the planet. It is assumed that it was from them that craters were formed, which have the largest diameter among similar formations in the entire solar system. Among them:
- Hellas, having a diameter of 2000 kilometers;
- Isis - 1000 km;
- Argir, with a diameter of 630 km.
Asteroids are thought to have been very large cosmic fragments. Their diameters were approximately 100, 50, as well as 36 km. Scientists have approximately established the time of the disaster. According to data from the Red Planet, this is from 17 to 600 thousand years ago.
Martian Sphinx
Proponents of the existence of life on the Red Planet put forward in support of their version photographs of a strange formation resembling a female face. They were obtained back in 1976. However, against the background of lifeless landscapes of the planet, such an image was taken as a bizarre play of light and shadow. Only a little later, scientists, using a special computer program, enlarged the photograph. Thanks to this, the “face” began to be seen more distinctly and even more acquired human features.
Of course, no one has repealed the laws of probability theory, according to which the play of light and shadow can cause the appearance of any image. However, this is easy to verify. After all, if you change the orientation of the lighting, then a similar effect will disappear immediately. However, images of space stations operating on different orbits of the orbit of Mars indicate the presence of a "sphinx". In addition, the computer-aided construction of stereo images yielded amazing results. The necklace, nostrils, and other points that were considered interference did not disappear at all. At the same time, the computer outlined the pupils of the eyes she saw, as well as the teeth in the ajar mouth.
Pyramids
Mars is a planet whose secrets today are still not fully revealed by mankind. Among them are mysterious structures resembling pyramids. They are seven kilometers from the sphinx and constitute a whole "city". According to the data obtained from the images, there are only 11 pyramids. Of these, four are large and seven are smaller. Many scientists do not consider them the result of volcanic activity or another natural process. The fact is that the shape of the pyramids discovered on Mars is too regular. They have three, four or five faces with sharp edges and apex. In addition, on the slopes of these formations there are no traces of lava flows. There is also no crater.
Modern computer programs have found between the pyramids straight lines resembling roads, as well as a strange round platform. The imagination and size of the pyramids are striking. The largest of them, located in the center of the "city", surpasses the earth’s pyramid of Cheops by almost ten times.
City on Mars?
The purpose of the pyramids on the Red Planet is more or less clear to those scientists who claim that life existed here in the past. But about the "circle", the diameter of which is a whole kilometer, you can argue endlessly. What is it?
A landfill or spaceport, a bombarded crater, or a laboratory like an accelerator? Or maybe this circle is the central square of the city? Many researchers focus on the latter option, based on the large number of straight lines or “roads” converging to this point.