Mars' Ancient Ocean

[Rogue]

For decades, planetary scientists have suspected that ancient Mars was a much warmer, wetter environment than it is today, but estimates of just how much water Mars has lost since its formation vary widely. Now, new isotopic measurements by researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center reveal that an ocean once covered approximately twenty percent of the Martian surface. This new picture of early Mars is considerably wetter than many previous estimates, raising the odds for the ancient habitability of the Red Planet.

[Agartha]

Very interesting! But 20% of water on the surface seems very small compare to Earth which is 70% covered by water.

[Rogue]

I'm not sure, would there have been more in the form of ice maybe?

[Agartha]

Does ice count as water? Seeing as it is water in a solid state...

[Lenzabi]

Ice is water, as summer hits, it melts down for drinkability. 20% water is still good, I have used google mars and seen for myself the canyons that squiggle across the surface, canyons are made from running water, so likely Mars had or may still have artesian pockets.

[Rockhopper]

It is entirely probable that Mars did have oceans, it certainly has had running water in the past.

I suspect that because of it's size it's gravity could not hold an atmosphere and consequently keep it's oceans. There is a strong probability that there is water below the surface still.

Tim.

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