Water on Mars
Scientists have created a mineral lifetime diagram that provides a clue as to when and for how long there might have been water or small lakes on Mars.
The work and data is based on the green rock, olivine, also known as the gemstone peridot. Olivine, a silicate mineral rich in magnesium and iron, is found on Earth in volcanic rock and has also been spotted on Mars. Since life requires water and because olivine dissolves in water, scientists wanted to see how long it takes olivine to dissolve.
Olivine takes as long as a million of years to dissolve in water. The amount of acidity or alkalinity is a highly controlling factor and a more precise estimate awaits information concerning the chemical conditions on Mars.
October 20, 2006 6:49 AM | Category: Technology