Martian's valleys were formed by Rain or Snow

Planet Mars is estimated to have experienced snowfall that caused the formation of the valley networks on the planet's surface. Researchers at Brown University, USA, showed that some Martian valley appears to have formed due to runoff and orographic rain.

Mars' Mt. Sharp most likely emerged as strong winds carried dust and sand into Gale Crater where the mound sits. If correct, the research could dilute expectations that the mound is the remnant of a massive lake, which would have important implications for understanding Mars' past habitability. (Picture from: http://www.natureworldnews.com/)

These findings help answer the question of whether water ever flowed on Mars in the past came from the ground or falling from the atmosphere, To investigate, the researchers studied four different locations on Mars is thought to have caused the valley of snow or rain when the wind pushed upward moisture mountain slopes.

The findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters this is the most detailed evidence of orographic effects on ancient Mars, and could explain the beginning of the climate on the planet. Orographic rainfall occurs because of moisture up into the mountains and eventually condenses as rain or snow fall.

Mars from the Odyssey spacecraft. Water-carved valleys on Mars appear to have been caused by runoff from precipitation, likely meltwater from snow. Early Martian precipitation would have fallen on mountainsides and crater rims. (Picture from: http://spaceref.com/)

Kat Scanlon, a graduate student of geological sciences at Brown University, led the study and began researching the effects of orographic rain. She took a meteorology graduate studies in Hawaii, which is home to the classic orographic pattern.

Scanlon orographic suspect a similar pattern may also occur in the early days of Mars, and it is the indicator of valley networks. Valley networks on Mars are formed by branching plot that connects the valley or mountain on Mars, like a river on Earth.

In her study, when studying the orographic patterns in Hawaii, Scanlon found that tropical winds that carry moisture from the east pushed upwards when hit the high mountains in Hawaii. Due to insufficient kinetic energy to reach the top of the mountain, the wind bringing water to the east side of the mountains. Amount of rain that falls on the eastern side of the mountains that make it become part of the tropical forests, while the other side is not.

"That's what was on my mind when figuring out whether the valleys on Mars associated with rainfall," Scanlon said as quoted from DailyMail, on July 25, 2013.

To reveal the origin of Martian valleys, researchers identified four locations of Martian valley networks are found along the mountain slopes high. To set the direction of the prevailing wind at each location and where the rain will fall, the researchers used a general circulation model of the newly developed named General Circulation Model (GCM) for Mars. Based on the modeling, the researchers found that most of the rain or snow falling in the deepest part of the valley. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILYMAIL | ROSALINA | KORAN TEMPO 4304]

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