What are Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) associated with on present-day Mars?
Answer
Liquid water flows in the form of briny solutions on Martian slopes
Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) represent one of the most compelling modern confirmations of liquid water activity on Mars. These features appear seasonally or cyclically on Martian slopes. The mechanism driving these flows involves brines—highly concentrated salt solutions—which possess a depressed freezing point, enabling them to remain liquid even in the extremely cold Martian environment. While these flows are transient and involve relatively small volumes of water, their existence proves that the conditions necessary for liquid water cycling are active today, unlike the stable, ancient surface water systems.
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