The illusion of water: scientists have discovered that Martian satellites "fake"

90% of the Orbiter the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shots shows what's really going on there.

The researchers found that some of the pixels, 90% of the Mars satellite reconnaissance Mars Mars satellite reconnaissance show what is really there. The error was calculated after finding the best signs of moisture absorbing materials on the surface of Mars. They were not just a mirage: scientists now have serious doubts about the exact distribution of water on the planet.

The compact reconnaissance imaging spectrometer for Mars, mounted on a satellite, is an "eye in the sky" that will identify minerals on the surface of the planet and places of accumulation. ;water. The procedure is carried out by measuring infrared waves and visible light, corresponding to different chemical structures, then the data are divided into pixels representing an area of ​​100 to 200 meters in diameter.

Pixels displaying minerals such as alunite, keseric, serpentine and perchlorate, probably a manufactured filter, that respond to various peaks of data will inevitably occur when changing sensor between shadows and intense light. A team of researchers was planning to explore the possible distribution of perchlorate salts, which required precise adjustment of the filtration process using the new algorithm. Eventually, they found that about 0.05% of the pixels attenuate the peaks so that they look like perchlorate.

Fortunately, in the case of most of the mineral problem, the image is slightly spotted. After inspecting the same areas with other tools, the scientists found that most of the minerals were in their place. But as far as perchlorate is concerned, only a small part is real. This can become a serious problem.

The Martian atmosphere is too cold and too thin so that water on the surface exists in liquid form. But as a mixture with the perchlorate salts, its melting point may be low enough that only a small amount of liquid remains. Whatever it is, in theory.

After discovering the problem in CRISM, you will determine exactly where perchlorate is on the surface of Mars. Since we are talking about only a few pixels of damage, the existing maps are blurry, but not useless. In addition, the data received from the CRISM instrument can be adjusted using other tools.