Martian water-formed ice and atmospheric vapor, not suitable for living beings, as the saline solution of the red planet may exist in a stable state for a few hours during the earth year.
Scientists have modeled this "pickle" in modern conditions and came to the conclusion that Mars is not suitable for human habitation or known other organisms. The results of a study published in Nature Astronomy.
On modern Mars with an average temperature of – 40o C water is only in the deposits of ice and a small amount of vapor in the atmosphere. As the pressure is 160 times smaller than the earth, the water immediately passes into the gaseous state.
But she can go and the liquid – due to the dissolved salts. Five years ago, scientists discovered the planet’s dark bands, deciding that perhaps this is a seasonal flow with a salt of perchloric acid. But, as it turned out, it was the flow of sand. However, the opening was the reason for the study, as salt water will behave on the surface of Mars.
Edgar Rivera-Valentin from the Lunar and planetary Institute in Houston in collaboration with colleagues using computer simulation combined information about the weather conditions, measurement of spacecraft data and laboratory experiments with salts, which are found on the red planet. It turned out that Martian salt solution can meet 40 percent of the planet’s surface, but in a stable condition will exist only seasonal, and only 0.04 percent of the year (about six hours). And its temperature will be about minus 48 degrees Celsius, which is almost two times below the permissible values for life on Earth.
So, we know living organisms can not exist in such an environment. By the way, according to scientists, the ancient climate of Mars was more favorable for life. About four billion years ago, there might dwell lithotrophy – microorganisms that use the energy of inorganic compounds.
