doesn't the phase diagram change a lot when the water is mixed with salts, allowing it to be fluid at pressures and temperatures where pure water would not?
The darker shade of the dunes is said to depend on the fact that they consist of smaller grains of sand which reflect light differently. Humid or not.
Quote from: Plopper on 08/22/2012 02:33 pmThe darker shade of the dunes is said to depend on the fact that they consist of smaller grains of sand which reflect light differently. Humid or not. They're just "blueberres".Damned, infinite, trillions of martian blueberries!
Don't know if this has been brought up or not,but with the first data coming in from the REMS instrument i find it very interesting that this is the first time a lander is at a location where temperature and pressure go above the tripple point of water.The data still has gaps but so far the max temperature on sol 10 and 11 was 4C° and 3C° , with presure of about 6.95mb at that time.The darker dunes and patches at the base of mount sharp are a bit lower in altitude, and the fact they have a lower albedo should gather more heat, should make short term liquid water possible yes?I can't help thinking that the dark , river like part , could actualy be mud during peak temperatures.I really hope they make some extensive studies at those locations.
Some data suggest there is saline water on mars but its not fact (yet?).I could be wrong , please correct me if so.If there isn't, then this is the first landing at a above tripple point of water site. This is fact , the other is 'what if '.
What is "fact"?
About the temperatures , i was going with what was measured from other landers and none had readings above freezing.Yes thinking about it , the sensors are of the ground so it would be correct to asume the ground itself is a few degrees more.Also the evidence for salts is pretty high so you are most likely right.And the frost at the viking sites, not sure what it has to do with possible liqued water, the water vapour freezing up could be from other locations far away.
Hey, is the pressure data from the REMS instrument for real?
The fluctuations between about 690 Pascals (6.9 millibars) and 780 Pascals (7.8 millibars) show that the atmosphere is similar to predicated models.
Hey, is the pressure data from the REMS instrument for real? Is it really that extremely regular, with even the late night little tic down in the curve repeating identically every Sol? I mean, air temperature changes much less regular and it's a bit hard to believe that air pressure can follow such a very regular pattern given that. Is it such an easy job to be meteorologist on Mars :-P Or is this some kind of test or instrument artifact which does not represent true pressure at Mars (which also seems generally higher than I'd expected)?http://www.businessinsider.com/mars-curiosity-gets-ready-to-rove-2012-8
Outcroppings of gypsum anyone?