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Presence of Water on Mars

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Mars is the planet nearest to Earth that we are most likely to explore and send manned missions to. It also is the planet that we have the best chance of finding life on. For both these things water is needed so exploration of Mars by space probes has concentrated on looking for water.
Humans have searched for evidence of water on Mars for many years. In 1895
American astronomer Percival Lowell thought that he had seen canals on the surface of Mars. These were disproved as tricks of the eye. Spacecraft in the 1960’s and 1970’s reported that Mars was very dry. However, spacecraft in the 1970’s to the 1990’s started to report evidence of water, either past or present. The atmosphere of Mars is very thin, only 1% of the …show more content…

An additional resource that I found confirms this work. It was in a United Press article released in December 2002. The article is valid as it summarises and backs up data from NASA. It has been known for some time that the poles have frozen carbon dioxide, (dry ice) but more data from the Mars Global Surveyor probe has shown that the height of ice in the North Pole is higher than dry ice alone could be. This suggests water is tied up in the polar ice caps. This was confirmed by Odyssey.
People had suggested water had existed near the surface of Mars but now scientists had conclusive proof. Although this has answered a lot of questions it has raised many more. As yet not enough water has been found to explain all the features seen in the early life of the planet. the relevant scientific information on water on
Mars
Discussion showing linking of ideas. Internal assessment resource reference number Sci/3/7 – C version 3
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In 2004 two probes, Spirit and Opportunity, arrived on opposite sides of Mars. Both probes have confirmed old findings and discovered new evidence for water. They have found:
• Clear stratification in the rocks – as found in the Endurance crater. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6077 • Sulphur and chlorine,

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