WATER ON MARS

Astronomers have long believed that water once flowed on he now dry Martian surface. There are so many tantalizing views of what appears to be dry river beds, meandering streams and even shorelines. Once, a long, long time ago, Mars was a very different place.
 

     Mars' features show a great deal of erosion and water plays a major role in this activity along with wind. There are several types erosion seen on the planet.
 

   There are traces of what appears to have been major floods which washed across the Martian surface in a very short period of time. These floods were so severe that they left erosion marks greater than what the flow of the Mississippi River would leave! What would cause such huge and sudden floods? A good probability for an explanation would be that water was frozen in the soil as permafrost and then suddenly released by a volcanic eruption or perhaps a meteorite impact. Some of the impact craters on Mars show "splashes" of ejected material suggesting that the soil contained water at some point.

The Lure of Mars

The Martian Atmosphere

The Surface of Mars

Seasons and Climate on Mars

Water on Mars

The Moons of Mars

Spacecraft To Mars

Constellations

The Solar System