Mysteries of Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. The distance from it to the heavenly body is 227.9 kilometers. Mars, which for its rusty-red color is also called the Red Planet, is located near the Earth. Only Venus is closer to him than us.

Mankind has known about Mars since ancient times. Even in ancient Chinese chronicles, the "Fiery Star" has been repeatedly mentioned. The space brother of the Earth has long been carefully studied by people. However, despite the dozens of aircraft sent to Mars, the mysteries and mysteries of this planet for the most part remain unsolved.

The duplicity of the Red Planet

For many decades, scientists are interested in the mystery of Mars, associated with its unusual relief. The matter is that between the Northern and Southern hemispheres of this cosmic body there is a colossal difference. The first of these is the smoothest place that could be found in our solar system. Its relief is low and flat. Scientists suggest that such a surface character was formed under the influence of water, large volumes of which were here many years ago.

But the Southern Hemisphere, as opposed to the Northern Hemisphere, is completely riddled with craters of various sizes. In addition, it is higher by an average of 4-8 kilometers. Do scientists have an idea of the reasons for the formation of such an unusual relief, what is the solution of the mystery of Mars in this case? NASA, leading active research on the Red Planet, suggests that such differences are most likely caused either by "cosmic bombardment" of small objects or by the fall of a giant asteroid that occurred in the distant past. However, until now no one can unequivocally explain the reason for such a big difference in the relief of the Martian hemispheres.

Differences in age

Scientists have calculated that on Mars there are 3305 craters from meteorites that hit the surface, whose diameter exceeds 30 km. The vast majority of them (3068) is located in the Southern Hemisphere. And only 237 craters are found in the low part of the planet. This fact indicates a difference in the age of the two hemispheres. That is, the southern part of Mars is more ancient, and the Northern part is younger.

Methane in the Atmosphere

On what other riddles of our space fellow NASA scientists work? The mystery of Mars, an unambiguous explanation of which has not been received so far, concerns the presence of methane present in the atmosphere of the Red Planet. On Earth, this colorless gas, which is the simplest hydrocarbon, is produced by a biogenic way. His appearance is facilitated by the processes of biochemical and chemical transformation of organic substances. So, a significant source of methane on our planet is the biogenic fermentation of the mass of manure of cattle. According to scientists, methane in the atmosphere of Mars can survive in its original form only three hundred years. That is, according to our earthly ideas, this gas on the Red Planet should not simply be. Nevertheless, it is present in the atmosphere of Mars, and in fairly large quantities. Where does he come from? It is believed that the solution to the mystery of Mars lies in its volcanic activity. However, no evidence of this process, the research apparatus that visited the Red Planet, was not found. So the search for a source of methane continues.

Is there liquid water on Mars?

Based on the relief of the Red Planet, scientists suggest that once it was a whole ocean. In addition, according to indirect data obtained from research satellites, it can be concluded that in the past, Mars flowed whole streams of water. On the one hand, the Red Planet does not have enough atmospheric pressure to maintain the liquid state of matter. But on the other - in the photographs of aircraft on the slopes of the planet's elevations, narrow lines of dark color are clearly visible, which will make it possible to suggest the passage of saline water in the spring season.

The discovery of scientists

The American agency NASA revealed the mystery of Mars concerning the presence of liquid water on it. This was announced on September 28, 2015 by his representatives at a press conference specially assembled on this occasion. This event was broadcast on the agency's website and live on NASA Television. In addition, a publication on the main results of this conference appeared in Nature Geoscience.

The main conclusion of the event was that NASA unraveled the mystery of Mars. Scientists of the agency said that there are streams of salty liquid water on the Red Planet, which are seasonal in nature. Such formations are manifested in the warm period and disappear into the cold.

Scientists said that NASA revealed the mystery of Mars thanks to the high-quality images received from the orbiting Martian satellite. The data were announced:

NASA's chief planetologist, Jim Green;

- the leading researcher of the Red Planet - Michael Meyer;

- scientists from the California Research Center - Mary Bat Wilhelm;

- scientists from Georgia, working at the Technological Institute - Luchendra Oyha;

- the main expert on a scientific instrument from the University of Arizona - Alfred McEune.

In support of the fact that the main mystery of Mars was revealed, the scientists provided the public with a special method that enabled them to obtain a more accurate spectral analysis of the images obtained. As a result of the studies, convincing evidence was obtained that there are hydrated salts (perchlorates) on the slopes. Some of these compounds allow the liquid not to freeze even at minus seventy degrees Celsius. Scientists have previously discovered on Mars perchlorates, but their hydrated form for the first time.

Objective picture

According to NASA scientists, streams of salt water periodically appear and disappear on the slopes of the Martian hills. Their width reaches a maximum of five meters. Researchers note that perchlorates on the Red Planet are found only in those regions where saline rivers flow. Even in the neighboring sections of the traces, no such compounds were found.

The question of the existence of life

The mysteries of Mars continue to stir the minds of mankind. And the main one concerns the presence of living beings on the Red Planet. And it all began in 1877, when the Italian astronomer Giovanni Skiparelli discovered whole systems of straight long lines, which were later called "Martian channels". From that moment on, the main mystery of Mars was to answer the question: "Is there life on it?" And the science fiction writers meant the presence on the Red Planet of a reasonable civilization.

Later, it was undeniably proved that Mars is very dry and cold. In addition, his atmosphere is much thinner than on Earth. The channels turned out to be nothing more than an optical illusion that arose when the planet was viewed through a telescope.

Hopes to find fellow in space finally melted in 1965, when the probe "Mariner-4" transmitted to the Earth a photo of a lifeless surface. Then it seemed that the question of the existence of life on Mars set a fat point. However, eleven years before the Red Planet, an apparatus from the Viking series arrived. And then the scientists realized that the question of the existence of life on Mars can once again be considered open. Subsequently, various studies of the chemical activity of soil layers were carried out, organic molecules of methyl chloride and dichloromethane were found, surface images found similarities to dried river beds, etc. All this caused a lot of controversy and discussions that continue to this day.

Plans for further study of the Red Planet

The secrets of Mars continue to unfold. After NASA revealed the presence of salt water on the planet, the version about the existence of life on it became quite plausible. The US agency has even promised to find confirmation of this no more than in the next 10-20 years. This forecast was announced on 7.04.2015 by NASA chief scientist Ellen Stofan. And already on May 15, 2015, representatives of the agency announced the immediate task of NASA - the delivery of a person to Mars.

At present, five stations are operating in the orbit of the Earth's neighbor. Three of them are launched by NASA. Also in the US, two scientific laboratories are being prepared for shipment. The start of the first of these should take place in March 2016. The task of this laboratory is to study the structure of the interior of the Red Planet to five-meter depths, as well as the distribution of temperature in them. The launch of the second laboratory is planned to be carried out in 2020. It must collect all the necessary data that will allow manned flights to our space neighbor in the 2030s. By preliminary calculation, the path of astronauts in both directions will take about five hundred days.

«Glass worms»

It is possible that the flight of astronauts will reveal many other mysteries of Mars. One of them are mysterious objects, which the researchers call "glass tubes", "glass tunnels" or "glassworms."

Scientists suggest that all of them are the result of vital activity on the Red Planet in the remote past. These tubular objects sometimes reflect light and look like perforated tunnels, pipes or giant earthworms.

Possible catastrophes

What other mysteries of Mars disturb humanity? To date, scientists do not dispute the fact that the Red Planet had a hydrosphere and atmosphere. It is assumed that they were thrown into outer space as a result of the disaster. Opinions of scientists agree on the fact that once on Mars was a moist and relatively warm environment, suitable for higher forms of life.

As the cause of the catastrophe is called the fall on the planet of three huge asteroids. It is assumed that it is from them that craters have formed, having the largest diameter among similar formations in the entire solar system. Among them:

- Hellas, which has a diameter of 2000 kilometers;

- Ishida - 1000 km;

- Argyr, which has a diameter of 630 km.

It is assumed that the asteroids were very large cosmic fragments. Their diameters were about 100, 50, and also 36 km. Scientists have approximately established and the time of the disaster. According to data coming from the Red Planet, it is from 17 to 600 thousand years ago.

The Martian Sphinx

Supporters of the existence of life on the Red Planet put forward a photo of a strange education resembling a woman's face in support of her version. They were received back in 1976. However, against a background of lifeless landscapes of the planet, this image was taken for a bizarre play of light and shadow. Only a little later, scientists, using a special computer program, increased the photo. Thanks to this, the "face" became visible more clearly and even more acquired human features.

Of course, nobody canceled the laws of probability theory, according to which, the play of light and shadow can cause the appearance of any image. However, it is easy to verify. After all, if you change the direction of lighting, then this effect will disappear immediately. However, images of space stations operating on different orbits of the orbit of Mars indicate the presence of the "Sphinx". In addition, the computer building of the stereo image gave amazing results. Necklace, nostrils and other points that were considered interference, did not disappear at all. In this case, the computer outlined the pupils of the eyes that she saw, and also her teeth in the slightly open mouth.

Pyramids

Mars is a planet, the secrets of which are so far to the end and not revealed by mankind. Among them are mysterious structures resembling pyramids. They are spaced about seven kilometers from the sphinx and represent a whole "city". According to the data obtained from the photographs, the pyramids are only 11. Of these, four are large and seven are smaller. Many scientists do not consider them the result of volcanic activity or another natural process. The fact is that the shape of the pyramids found on Mars is too correct. They have three, four or five faces with sharp edges and a top. In addition, there are no traces of lava flows on the slopes of these formations. There is also no crater.

Modern computer programs have discovered straight lines reminiscent of roads between the pyramids, as well as a strange round platform. The imagination and dimensions of the pyramids are amazing. The largest of them, located in the center of the "city", exceeds the earthly pyramid of Cheops almost tenfold.

The city on Mars?

The purpose of the pyramids on the Red Planet is more or less clear to those scientists who claim that in the past life existed here. But about the "circle", whose diameter - a kilometer, you can argue indefinitely. What is it?

A polygon or a spaceport, a bombarded crater or a laboratory like an accelerator? Or maybe this circle is the central square of the city? Many researchers dwell on the latter option, starting from a large number of straight lines converging at this point or "roads".