. 24/7 Space News .
A DRY MARS? - Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14

Image by NASA/JPL/MSSS
Are Mars Meteorites Actually From Mars?
by Peter Ravenscroft
Samford - August 16, 2000 - Next in line for questioning are the SNC meteorites from Mars. They are assumed to be from Mars because the oxygen isotope ratios in the minute amount of water they contained match those obtained by sampling the Martian atmosphere.

Some contain clay, which has suggested to some observers that they formed under water. Rather than having that prove that Mars had water, I'd prefer to have it suggest those meteorites are possibly not Martian. They were found on Earth, after all, and could have come from anywhere, even here, though that is pure heresy.

Maybe something hit some old rocks here, a long time ago, and up they went and back they flopped. Maybe they are from some other planet, or an asteroid. As we so far have not one single rock from Mars brought here by a method we can be sure of, namely a spacecraft launched by us, we have no rocks to compare these meteorites with to confirm their past Martian identity. The isotope ratios of minute amounts of material can be misleading.

I may be in error. In personal communication, Dr Tilman Spohn, of the Institut fur Planetologie, recently offered another view of these rocks. He emailed: "I personally have no severe problems with water on Mars but from my background (interior structure, dynamics and evolution, stated above � PSR) I can supply you with a thought that has always puzzled me.

I understand from my friends from cosmochemistry (e.g. Heinrich Wanke) that the Martian interior as witnessed by the SNC meteorites must be as dry as a bone, at least today, or more precisely, at the time of formation of the SNC rocks, which is relatively recent.

If that is so, then the water on Mars must be exogenic in origin, I would maintain. It is very difficult if not impossible to completely degas a planetary interior as I have learned from my modelling of interior out-gassing.

To say it more clearly: If the Martian water is thought to have originated from interior outgassing then the interior cannot be dry! I find it a bit difficult to understand how an exogenically produced hydrosphere can be stable for such an extended time.

However, I have to say that at least some atmospheric scientists do not seem to see too much of a problem here. I am not sure how well this problem has been studied. I do not know if that really helps you since you believe that the SNC's are not from Mars. So you may find it difficult to integrate into your picture."

This is very helpful. I am always only too ready to bow to better-informed insights, particularly if they support my main contention. So if I may, I will have two bob each way on these rocks. I will remain sceptical, but will be delighted if they are in fact Martian and Drs Spohn and Wanke are correct about their implications.

Past coverage of as much as 15 percent of the surface of Mars by oceans has been suggested. If ever there were large amounts of surface water on Mars, there would by definition have been extensive shorelines.

  • Click For Part Six




    Thanks for being here;
    We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

    With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

    Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

    If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
    SpaceDaily Contributor
    $5 Billed Once


    credit card or paypal
    SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
    $5 Billed Monthly


    paypal only














  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.