LtE in CMO #289

From William Patrick SHEEHAN

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® . . . . . . . . .Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2004 18:34:50 -0600

Subject: Mars water findings

Dear Masatsugu,

I'm sure you've been following the exciting news regarding Opportunity, the rover that landed at Meridiani Planum? Apparently NASA is planning a press conference tomorrow in which they're going to announce the existence of brine on the surface, which is why the rover's wheels tracks look like they're formed in mud. That's exhilarating to me personally since, when we observed those specular reflections from Edom Prom (which is in this area) back in June 2001, we thought maybe the reflections were off ice deposits or salt pans (we suspected the latter). It's interesting that in addition to Edom the other sites where Michael Snowden observed flashes last year -- Margaritifer Sinus and Valles Marineris -- were also sites where water flows have been identified.

Perhaps I can discuss the water on Mars question -- and specular reflections -- at one of our meetings in six weeks.

Yours,

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Bill SHEEHAN (Willmar, Minnesota, USA )

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