[meteorite-list] Martian Meteorite May Contain Water (NWA 817)

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:44:12 2004
Message-ID: <20010615190223.8573.qmail_at_web10406.mail.yahoo.com>

Hello All,

I tried using that Babelfish Translator and found it
to be interesting and at times humorous. Many words
weren't translated, and other French words that we
know were "translated" anyway, e.g., "reservoirs" was
translated to "tanks".

But what did get translated was a sense that the
French researchers wanted "their day in the world
court". So, I feel it only fair for the "counterparts
americains" to show cooperation by presenting this
"translation".

Just to make sure that there is nothing lost in the
translation, I just want to say that WE are ALL
indebted to Carine and Bruno Fectay for making this
find, and for making it readily available to all
researchers. Regardless of the outcome of these
discussions, this will stand as another fine example
of the collecting/hunting community making an
important contribution to the effort, lead by
professional researchers, to better understand our
Solar System.

With best regards,
Bob "Bolide*chasseur"
Une chasseur de meteorites americain

------ Start of Altavista / Babelfish Translation
-----

"A meteorite would contain water coming from the court
of Mars"

| le MONDE (the WORLD) | 12.06.01
| UPDATED 11h00 the 12.06.01
| 14h59

Two hunters of French meteorites, Carine Bidaut and
Bruno Fectay, have decouvert in the Sahara a small
stone of 104 grams coming from the interior of red
planet. Several indices lead the scientists has to
think that it contains Martian water traces. Cliquer
to see the graphic data processing The meteorite
Martian decouverte in December 2000 SOME SHARE in the
Sahara. In the medium of an old camp of nomads, a
stone tombee of the sky waited until is collected it
to say his history. An original history transporting
those which could hear it in the entrails of Mars. A
history which will enrich the handbooks devote has
the geology of red planet. Decouvert in December 2000
by the team of two hunters of French meteorites,
Carine Bidaut and Bruno Fectay, the small stone of the
desert (104 grams) quickly arrived between the hands
of the researchers. And, to analyze it, not less than
six teams (higher Teacher training school of Lyon,
laboratory of geodynamic and planetology of the
university of Nantes, laboratory of magmatology and
inorganic and experimental geochimy of the Paris-VI
university, Research center of petrology and geochimy
of Nancy, Institute of physique of the sphere of
Paris, national Museum of natural history) have
collaborates with celerity, under the crook of the
geologist Philippe Gillet, director of the national
Institute of sciences of the universe (KNOWLEDGE), one
of the principal branches of CNRS. Voyageuse the
celeste, baptisee for the moment NWA817(pour Northwest
Africa 817), formed part of the category of the
nakhlites - one of the three great Martian classes of
meteorites -, of which only three representantes had
ete decouvertes before. However the nakhlites are
particularly interessantes because they revelent a
alteration provoquee by water
whereas the rock was in the Martian crust. " One finds
similar things on Earth, explains Philippe Gillet,
from the rocks which return from the interior of the
planet by the volcanos and which, has some kilometres
depth, are traversees by fluids and presentent then
phases of alteration. These is a known process which
is not original. But it is interessant for us because
it is an indirect manner to observe Martian water. "
   On Earth and Mars, are presents various water
tanks: atmosphere, hydrosphere and the coat.
When a rock A crystallizes close to surface, it can be
alteree by water coming either from the interior of
planet, or of its surface. All the stake, for the
researchers, consists has determiner which of the two
options has ete has opens it on their meteorite. The
scientific analyses allow dechiffrer a fine signature
of the source of water thanks to the relationship
between heavy hydrogen - the deuterium, which counts a
proton and a neutron in its core -, and " normal "
hydrogen, lighter bus not including/understanding a
neutron. to see sequence
Sciences
The terrestrial tanks acquired in the course of time a
specific signature, and this differe report/ratio if
one draws sea water or that of the coat. When a
geologist holds a rock between his hands, it can thus
say that it has rather meets such or such water or a
mixture between two components. Over Mars, the
isotopic report/ratio of hydrogen present has surface
has ete measurement by spectroscopy and appears
completely different of that which one records on
Earth. Whereas, on this derniere, the deuterium east
present in infinitesimale quantity compared to
hydrogen, the red planet, on the other hand, possede
proportionally more heavy isotopes than the Earth. The
fault falls about it has the small size of Mars, one
of the featherweights of the solar system, which does
not have the force of gravitation sufficient to
effectively retain the hydrogen atoms without neutron.
Thus, the analyses have watch that the three nakhlites
known until A present had ete alterees by water coming
from Martian surface. But such is not the case of
NWA817, of or the interest which it causes. To start,
it contains well more mineraux hydrates, at the point
to present spots orangees which are distinguished has
the naked oil. " We have measurement a very weak
deuterium/hydrogene report/ratio, near to the
terrestrial\ signatures, indicates then Philippe
Gillet. According to our interpretation, that revele\
the trace of a fluid resulting from the interior of
planet and not of surface. The difficulty, it is that
a meteorite tombee on Earth can come into contact with
terrestrial water. How to prove that water is
undoubtedly Martian and comes from the coat of planet
and not of a terrestrial alteration? However, we
remain unfortunately unable, when the values of
measurements are the same ones, to distinguish the
terrestrial one from the Martian. " Same if it thinks
of being on the good track, the director of the
KNOWLEDGE presente thus his premieres conclusions with
prudence because it knows has which point are
delicates such analyses and their interpretations, him
which has in particular demontre that the pretendues
traces of life on famous the meteorite Martian
ALH84001, annoncees has great reinforcement of
publicity by americaines teams, could have perfectly
ete laissees by micro-organisms well from on our
premises. He also knows that his/her colleagues of on
the other side of the Atlantic judge systematiquement
that an object come besides east pollutes by the Earth
since he presente a weak deuterium/hydrogene
report/ratio. How, however, to convince them to give
up of such prejuges and to throw an objective oil on
NWA817?
" We have a certain number of arguments pleading in
favour of a deepening, ensures Philippe Gillet. First
of all, the meteorite is differente nakhlites: in
particular, we do not have decouvert yet carbonates.
Then, except traces of terrestrial alteration in
fractures, the mass of the rock is very fraiche:
mineraux the very sensitive ones has the alteration
and has the circulation of the fluids, like sulphides
for example, are intact. The meteorite is clean... " A
debate between researchers thus will open, and
Philippe Gillet expects has what the argument, with
the direction litteraire of the word, is hard. But the
retombees of this work are significant: " If we are
right, that means that part of the water of the coat
Martian never arrived until A the exterior of planet,
that this derniere does not completely have degaze its
water, that there no was recent recycling of the water
of the coat and that this one preserves a primitive
signature. These characteristiques has implications on
the fact, for example, that a plate tectonics exists
or not Mars. One can make true geology. Such an
analysis induced of other questions: Does Mars have
preserve a signature of the materiel which was useful
has to build it, has it recycles or not materials of
surface towards its coat, all its compose are they
reequilibres with the atmosphere or not? " Other
stakes are dissimulated derriere these experiments.
With the recent acquisition of the meteorite Martian
Theodore-Monod (the World of April 10), the study of
NWA817 and the gift by the Bidaut-Fectay couple of
fragments of two other stones come from red planet,
French search batit has high speed a pole of expertise
on the Martian rocks. Of what
preparer the future space mission franco-americaine
destinee has to bring back samples and who would owe
decoller into 2011. There is no doubt that, when it
returns, three years later, Philippe Gillet and his
colleagues will be able to fight has equal weapons
with their counterparts americains.
Pierre Barthelem

------ End of Altavista / Babelfish Translation
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Received on Fri 15 Jun 2001 03:02:23 PM PDT