[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 3 - 08:36:49 ]
Hello and welcome to another Mars Millennium QuestChat! Our special guest today is Research Scientist Peter Thomas from Cornell University. Peter is interested in Mars, in how the wind shapes the surface by moving sand and dust and in how the polar caps have affected the geology and climate. Peter will be in the chat room and ready to take your questions at 11 am, PDT (2 pm, EDT). Be sure to read Peter's bio BEFORE the chat begins-- http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/sso/team/thomas.html

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 5 - 08:45:08 ]
For those of you who can't make it to the chat room at the scheduled time, go ahead and submit your questions early and I will post them once the chat begins. You can then view them in the chat archive later today.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 9 - 10:56:16 ]
RE: [PeterThomas/MarsGlobalSurveyor] Hello Sandy; on the public link..
Hi Peter! So glad you could join us today! It looks like we're the only two in the chat room right now, so stay tuned...

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 16 - 11:12:37 ]
Hi Julian and welcome:-) Peter is here and will be ready to start in one more minute...

[ PeterThomas/MarsGlobalSurveyor - 17 - 11:13:43 ]
RE: [Julian] Hi Peter!Do you think that there was once life in Martian oceans?
Julian: You really have two questions: oceans, and life. Some sort of large lakes/small oceans were likely. the way they appear to have formed, rapid filling from sudden grounwater flow, and from the "geology" means the "oceans" may not have lasted too long.. so for life to arise and evolve, perhaps in the ground water, if ever, before the oceans.

[ PeterThomas/MarsGlobalSurveyor - 18 - 11:15:16 ]
RE: [Julian] What are wind speeds on Mars?
Julian again: wind speeds get high, perhaps over 100 mph, but the atmosphere is very thin (1% earth's) so it isn't all that terrible. the winds do help carry heat there, as on earth

[ PeterThomas/MarsGlobalSurveyor - 20 - 11:18:30 ]
RE: [Julian] How do you think winds affect heat on Mars?
While we are waiting, the winds carry heat directly (atmosphere), and caryy frozen carbon dioxide in winter polar areas. when that later evaporates, you've transported the heat needed to evaporate the ice.

[ PeterThomas/MarsGlobalSurveyor - 22 - 11:26:19 ]
RE: [Julian] This is Julian's teacher. Julian is a gifted second grader who is working on a project about the possibilty of life on Mars. He believes that the polar caps and evidence of oceans show that there must be/have been bacterial life on Mars. What do you think of his theory?
The polar caps (likely a lot of water ice) and possible lakes/oceans do indicate a somewhat more clement period. water in the ground may have been in warmer (liquid) conditions longer than the surface has allowed liquid water. Between them there may well have been the opportunity for life arising and evolving. We just don't know if it did yet. Julian's questions read well.

[ Julian - 24 - 11:31:36 ]
This is my last question. If there was life on Mars, would you want to meet it? I'd like to see it. Thank you for your time,

[ PeterThomas/MarsGlobalSurveyor - 25 - 11:32:54 ]
Of course I'd like to meet it!