New Chemical Elements Found on Mars, Give Big Expectations
NASA, the United
States space agency, discovered a chemical-boron with the symbol B and atomic
number 5 in the periodic table-on the surface of Mars. Boron is a mineral that
is also found on earth. These findings indicate there is a potentially livable
plot of living things in the long term. NASA released the findings at the
American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco last week.
According to Patrick Gasda, one of the researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory, there is no specific mission to look for boron. Boron is commonly found in layers of calcium sulfate minerals. If boron found on Mars is similar or similar to that on earth, it indicates that the land there is 0-60 degrees Celsius with neutral pH. This chemical element is identical to the dry land where the water has evaporated. "These conditions make the land of Mars can be inhabited by living things," said Gasda.
Boron was discovered by laser fire Chemistry and NASA rover's Cameras on Mars or called ChemCham. The instrument was developed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory affiliated with the French space agency. Los Alamos has experienced operating more than 500 spacecraft instruments for national defense.
Until now the environment where the discovery of boron is still debated. Researchers consider two possibilities. First, it could be part of the drying up of the Gale crater that was once thought to be a lake. Part of this material is allegedly carried by the soil and become rocks. Another possibility is that there are changes in chemical content, movement of mud, and ground water. This affects the process of boron sedimentation.
The discovery of boron is one of the driving factors for continuing research on Martian rock character. Researchers are still continuing to find out about the layers of the Martian mountains and find evidence of rock ages there. This will help to see changes in the environment millions of years ago, including the process of drying the lake and its impact on life there.
So far, the NASA rover on Mars has found a composition dominated by clay and boron. This and other variations show the starting place of stored sediments, groundwater processes moving to transport, and changing their composition.
Groundwater and chemicals dissolved in it then appear on the surface of Mars. This condition leaves the most obvious effect in the mineral layers in the cracks of old rocks. In addition, it will also affect the composition of the surrounding rocks. Ultimately, this fluid will be affected by the existing rock.
"There are so many variations in composition at different heights, we've been able to 'bonus' a lot," said John Grotzinger of Caltech, Pasadena, California.
The result of this invention is due to the rover effort that began to climb and made the researcher impressed by the complexity of the environment there. The sediments found on Mars, says Grotzinger, are the result of chemical reactions. Elements there have been rearranged due to the formation of new minerals and the duration of dissolution. "On earth, this reaction supports the existence of life," he said.
Researchers have not found evidence of life on Mars. The main purpose of NASA rover there is to determine the area in Gale Crater in 2012 once there is microbial or not.
Four new drilling sites conducted on Mars allow researchers to get a sample of the younger layers. This layer is expected to reveal the history of Mount Sharp's environment there. "Variations of existing minerals and elements show a dynamic system," says Grotzinger.
According to Patrick Gasda, one of the researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory, there is no specific mission to look for boron. Boron is commonly found in layers of calcium sulfate minerals. If boron found on Mars is similar or similar to that on earth, it indicates that the land there is 0-60 degrees Celsius with neutral pH. This chemical element is identical to the dry land where the water has evaporated. "These conditions make the land of Mars can be inhabited by living things," said Gasda.
Boron was discovered by laser fire Chemistry and NASA rover's Cameras on Mars or called ChemCham. The instrument was developed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory affiliated with the French space agency. Los Alamos has experienced operating more than 500 spacecraft instruments for national defense.
Until now the environment where the discovery of boron is still debated. Researchers consider two possibilities. First, it could be part of the drying up of the Gale crater that was once thought to be a lake. Part of this material is allegedly carried by the soil and become rocks. Another possibility is that there are changes in chemical content, movement of mud, and ground water. This affects the process of boron sedimentation.
The discovery of boron is one of the driving factors for continuing research on Martian rock character. Researchers are still continuing to find out about the layers of the Martian mountains and find evidence of rock ages there. This will help to see changes in the environment millions of years ago, including the process of drying the lake and its impact on life there.
So far, the NASA rover on Mars has found a composition dominated by clay and boron. This and other variations show the starting place of stored sediments, groundwater processes moving to transport, and changing their composition.
Groundwater and chemicals dissolved in it then appear on the surface of Mars. This condition leaves the most obvious effect in the mineral layers in the cracks of old rocks. In addition, it will also affect the composition of the surrounding rocks. Ultimately, this fluid will be affected by the existing rock.
"There are so many variations in composition at different heights, we've been able to 'bonus' a lot," said John Grotzinger of Caltech, Pasadena, California.
The result of this invention is due to the rover effort that began to climb and made the researcher impressed by the complexity of the environment there. The sediments found on Mars, says Grotzinger, are the result of chemical reactions. Elements there have been rearranged due to the formation of new minerals and the duration of dissolution. "On earth, this reaction supports the existence of life," he said.
Researchers have not found evidence of life on Mars. The main purpose of NASA rover there is to determine the area in Gale Crater in 2012 once there is microbial or not.
Four new drilling sites conducted on Mars allow researchers to get a sample of the younger layers. This layer is expected to reveal the history of Mount Sharp's environment there. "Variations of existing minerals and elements show a dynamic system," says Grotzinger.
What is the purpose of researcher study planet mars?
BalasHapusFour goals of scientists doing research on Mars:
Hapus1. Life - Has life ever existed on Mars.
Over the next two decades, NASA will do some missions to see if life ever existed on Mars. The search begins by determining whether Mars was ever suitable for life.
On Earth, all life forms need water to survive. It is possible, though not sure that if life ever evolved on Mars. Therefore scientists will look for evidence of life on Mars, where liquid water has been stable, and where it still exists today. Recent data from Mars Global Surveyor show that liquid water may exist just below the surface in rare places on the planet, and Odyssey 2001 Mars about mapping that surface water reservoir on a global scale. Scientists know that ice water is present at the poles of Mars, and these areas will be a good place to look for evidence of life on Mars.
Scientists also know that most of Mars's atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide, if carbonate minerals are formed on the surface of Mars by chemical reactions between water and atmosphere, the presence of these minerals will be an indication that water has been present for a long time on Mars - May be long enough for life to flourish.
2. Climate - Characterization of the icicles on Mars.
The main priority of scientists in Mars exploration is the understanding of the climate now, whether the climate is like in the past, and the causes of climate change over time.
The current Martian climate is governed by seasonal changes of carbon dioxide ice, the movement of large amounts of dust by the atmosphere and the exchange of water vapor between the surface and the atmosphere. One of the most dynamic weather patterns on Mars is Generation dust storms that generally occur in the spring and summer south. This storm can grow to cover the entire planet. Understanding how these storms grow and develop is one of the goals of future climate studies.
Hapus3. Geology - Geological Characterization of Mars.
Why is Mars the planet we see today (the wild, dry and cold desert)? What causes the differences and similarities between Earth and Mars? These questions will be dealt with by studying the geology of Mars.
Scientists want to understand how the relative role of wind, water vulkanisme, tectonics, crater formation, and other processes that have shaped and modified the surface of Mars.
A recent discovery by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft's large area of magnetic material on Mars shows that the planet Mars once had a magnetic field like Earth today. Because the magnetic field generally serves to protect the planet from many forms of cosmic radiation, this discovery has important implications for the prospect of finding evidence of past life on the surface of Mars. The study of ancient magnetic fields also provides important information about the interior structure, temperature and composition of the march in the past. The presence of the magnetic field also shows that Mars was once more than a planet-like Earth that is dynamic from the moment.
Twelve Martian meteorites found on Earth can also provide clues about the planet. Learn more about Meteorites from Mars by Johnson Space Center.
4. Human Exploration - Preparing humans for exploration to Mars.
Safety Astronauts for exploration to Mars. Safety Astronauts are very important to NASA. Mars does not have an ozone layer, on Earth the ozone layer protects from deadly ultraviolet solar radiation. Which will be our question for scientists is How does the ozone layer form? Why does the Earth have an ozone layer? Why does Mars have an ozone layer? Does Mars ever have an ozone layer? If Mars ever had an ozone layer, why now does the ozone layer on Mars not exist?
Scientists do not have good information about the amount of ultraviolet radiation that reaches the Martian surface. A more detailed understanding of the radiation environment will provide the information necessary to assess the effects of ultraviolet radiation on astronauts.
Robotic spacecraft will pave the way for Mars exploration, to pave the way for human exploration, the 2001 Mars Odyssey will begin to analyze the radiation environment on Mars
What causes boron to be on mars?
BalasHapusThe Martian environment is more friendly to life than the state of Venus. However, the situation is not quite ideal for humans. The air temperature is low enough and low air pressure, coupled with the composition of air that most of the carbon dioxide, causing humans must use a respirator if you want to live there. Missions to the red planet, until the end of the 20th century, have not found traces of life there, albeit a very simple one.
HapusThe planet has two satellites, Phobos and Deimos. The planet orbits for 687 days in the Sun. The planet also rotates. The rotation time is 25.62 hours.
On the planet Mars, there is a unique appearance in the area of Cydonia Mensae. This appearance is a hill which when viewed from above appears as a human face. Many people think of it as a proof of a long-lost civilization on Mars, although today it has been proven that it is merely a natural expression of nature.
What are the benefits of the invention
BalasHapusThe discovery of boron is one of the driving factors for continuing research on Martian rock character. Researchers are still continuing to find out about the layers of the Martian mountains and find evidence of rock age there. This will help to see changes in the environment millions of years ago, including the process of drying the lake and its impact on life there.
HapusSo far, the NASA rover on Mars has found a composition dominated by clay and boron. This and other variations show the starting place of stored sediments, groundwater processes moving to transport, and changing their composition.
Groundwater and chemicals dissolved in it then appear on the surface of Mars. This condition leaves the most obvious effect in the mineral layers in the cracks of old rocks. In addition, it will also affect the composition of the surrounding rocks. Ultimately, this fluid will be affected by the existing rock.