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The disappearance of Martian water moved millions of years

liquid water was present on the surface of Mars have 1.25 million years ago, that is, a few million years later than believed until now. This is the conclusion of researchers from Brown University. Fully their work published in the journal Geology, a core content available in the press release of the University.

The authors studied the photos of Martian gullies from HiRISE camera, orbiting apparatus Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It is believed that the gullies on the Red planet appeared as a result of flow of liquid water. Currently, the surface of Mars is too cold for it, but many data indicate that in the past, the climate of our nearest space neighbor was much warmer and wetter. Estimating age of young Martian gullies, the astronomers are of the time the existence of liquid water on Mars.

The scientists focused on a system of ravines found in the southern sub-equatorial part of the eastern hemisphere of Mars, in the area known as the Land of Prometheus. This system is represented in the illustration to the news. Astronomers identified the fan structure of the four share externally is markedly different from each other. Left share pitted crater caused by meteorite bombardment. The right part of the “fans” does not bear traces of the fall of meteorites. Scientists have concluded that the right-hand side of gullies formed later left and were not yet subjected to “attack,” writes Lenta.ru.

The next phase of research, astronomers have tried to estimate the age of the craters left part of the “fans”. They were able to date craters, located 80 kilometers southwest of the system studied. Their age was equal to 1.25 million years. The authors estimate that craters “fans” can not be over. Consequently, most young gullies formed later.

So far, it was thought that liquid water disappeared from the surface of Mars much sooner. For example, in September 2008 was the work of authors who argue that 3.5 billion years ago, the Red Planet came rain.