Martian Soil : Surprises For Scientists

摘要

Since landing on the northern plains of Mars on May 25, Phoenix has been studying soil with the wet chemistry laboratory of the spacecraft's microscopy, electrochemistry and conductivity analyzer (MECA); the thermal and evolved-gas analyzer (TEGA); a microscope; a conductivity probe and cameras. The stubborn stickiness of Martian soil and the unconfirmed discovery of a chemical called perchlorate, which is naturally found on Earth in places like Chile's cold, extremely dry Atacama Desert, are two findings from NASA's Phoenix Mars lander that surprise scientists.