Scientists discover Billion Year Old River on Mars

Scientists from the European Space agency have discovered a river like structure on Mars by analyzing the 3D images of the Mars Express stereo camera. As per them, the region Reull Vallis bears a river-like structure which is believed to be formed when running water flowed in the distant martian past, cutting a steep-sided channel through the Promethei Terra Highlands before running on towards the floor of the vast Hellas basin.

The length of the river bed is around1500 kilometer which runs across the martian landscape.

These structures are thought to be formed by the passage of loose debris and ice during the ‘Amazonian’ period (which continues to this day) due to glacial flow along the channel.

The structures were originally carved by liquid water during the Hesperian period, which ended b/w 3.5 billion and 1.8 billion years ago.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2013

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs