The Secret History of Mars

"What Yizhou said just now is right, this is indeed not the calcium carbonate on the earth!" Elder Cangxi casually stroked the inner wall of the bee's eye, "But what Xingmeng said makes sense, this can also be regarded as a stalactite!"

Elder Cang Xi's words confused Cui Xingmeng and Yuan Yizhou. They were not calcium carbonate, but they were considered stalactites. What did this mean? !

Seeing that Elder Cangxi could touch the inner wall of the beehive, Cui Xingmeng, who was curious, followed suit and touched it gently with his right index finger.

It was hard at first, but soon Cui Xingmeng's fingertips began to heat up. It felt warm but not hot, and quite comfortable.

Cui Xingmeng retracted her finger and took a closer look. Except that the fingertips were a little reddish, the skin seemed to be drier than other fingers!

"Elder Cang Xi, there is no water source on Venus. Even if these landforms are not formed by calcium carbonate, how can they accumulate layer by layer and be dissolved and precipitated?" Yuan Yizhou was also a little puzzled and asked.

"Who told you that there is no water on Venus?" Elder Cangxi said with a smile!

"You mean, there is water on Venus?! Under such high temperature and pressure?! Even the hydrogen molecules are blown clean by the solar wind. Where does the water come from?!" Yuan Yizhou was even more confused!

"Have you found the answer to the question Mr. Yizhou just asked outside the cave?" Elder Cang Xi did not answer Yuan Yizhou's question directly, but asked rhetorically!

The geological model of Venus he mentioned before is exactly the opposite of that of Earth!

The magma in the volcano is not pushed to the surface by the energy in the earth's core mantle, but is extracted from the earth's core mantle by the high temperature and high pressure on the surface!

"Well, I saw the crater. The magma flowing out was a relatively low-temperature dark red. After flowing out, it was heated to a more fluid scarlet color, and it spread everywhere!" Yuan Yizhou collected and sorted out the information in his mind. The evidence you see supports your model.

Elder Cangxi asked without comment, "What else?"

"The North Pole Cave in the mantle of Venus is indeed low-temperature and low-pressure. I didn't see any fluid magma. Most of the magma here is solid!" Yuan Yizhou continued, seeming to convince himself, but he always felt that Something is wrong!

"Mr. Yizhou, what insights do you have about the composition of these magma?!" Elder Cang Xi smiled slightly, neither agreeing nor objecting to Yuan Yizhou's inference.

"What is the composition of these magma?!" Yuan Yizhou has never thought about it from this perspective, "Just now outside the cave, you said that this is basalt!"

"Basalt is a very broad concept! Broadly speaking, all materials that pass through the crater and come from the underground to the surface are what we call it!"

Elder Kuraki explained, "For example, the magma in Mount Olympus on Mars was once basalt rich in iron, so it can be used by me to refine soil!

And when volcanoes erupt on Earth, they are composed of silicon oxide, which cannot be used to refine soil! "

Elder Cangxi said in a persuasive manner, "The melting point of basalt, which is mainly silicon oxide, is generally between 1000C and 1200C. It cannot meet your assumption of the Venus geological model!"

Yuan Yizhou suddenly realized, isn't it? The temperature on the surface of Venus is 450C to 500C all year round. If the volcanic magma on Venus is also basalt mainly composed of silicon oxide, let alone not being able to extract it from the surface, even if it is extracted, it will not melt!

"Guess what is the main component of the basalt on Venus?"

Elder Cang Xi saw that Yuan Yizhou had already heard the most critical conditions for establishing his model, so he continued to ask questions!

"In addition to high temperature and pressure, the surface of Venus is also highly sulfuric..." Yuan Yizhou murmured to himself, "Could it be that the crust of Venus is mainly composed of sulfate?!"

After hearing this, Elder Cang Xi nodded lovingly and agreed with Yuan Yizhou's guess!

"Since it is sulfate, its melting point can be around 450C, but it can remain solid in the mantle!" Yuan Yizhou was inspired, and raised his hand to touch the inner wall of the bee's eye, and continued to deduce!

Yuan Yizhou's palm touched the inner wall for a while, and suddenly, he retracted his palm like an electric shock!

Seeing this, Cui Xingmeng hurriedly stepped forward to check, "What's wrong? Are you burned? I didn't touch it so hot just now!"

At the same time, he felt distressed and held Yuan Yizhou's hand with both hands, blew gently and said.

"I'm fine, it's not hot!" Yuan Yizhou comforted his lover and said, "I think I know what the main components of the basalt on Venus are!"

Yuan Yizhou turned to face Elder Cang Xi and said with bright eyes.

"It's magnesium sulfate!" Yuan Yizhou said with certainty.

"Tell me about it!" Elder Cangxi did not admit or deny it, but waved his hand and motioned for them to follow him into the bee cave!

After just a few steps, Yuan Yizhou and Cui Xingmeng could clearly feel the coolness and comfort in the cave!

It is completely different from the bee eye cavity where I was just now!

Cui Xingmeng secretly used her fingers to scratch the inner wall of the beehive next to the walkway. Sure enough, the wall here was not only not dry and hot, but also felt moist and cold!

Cui Xingmeng was in a trance, and had the illusion of being in a stalactite cave on the earth!

Yuan Yizhou also felt the moisture on the inner wall of the bee hole, then looked up and saw that the internal structure of the bee hole was "ridden with holes". He was not in a hurry to answer Elder Cang Xi, but fell into deep thought!

Elder Cang Xi did not rush him and continued to lead the way, leading Cui Xingmeng and Yuan Yizhou deeper into the Feng Cave!

After walking for a while, Yuan Yizhou broke the silence and said humbly, "Elder Cang Xi, I have a theory, please correct me!"

Elder Cang Xi looked back at Yuan Yizhou, without stopping, and said, "Please tell me!"

"This is the water source of Venus!" Yuan Yizhou boldly expressed his thoughts!

Cui Xingmeng was startled and touched the inner wall of the bee hole with her hand. At this time, the wall was even colder and colder than before!

After gently wiping the surface, Cui Xingmeng's palm was stained with liquid.

Cui Xingmeng looked at it carefully with the help of the dim light in the cave. It was clear, transparent, colorless and odorless. It indeed looked like water!

"Yes, what else is there in your theory?" Elder Cang Xi admitted without hesitation.

"These stalactites are the raw materials for resurfacing the crust of Venus that you just mentioned before entering the cave! They are the basalt that will be pumped to the ground from the crater!"

Yuan Yizhou continued to explain his thoughts.

"Is this the magnesium sulfate you just mentioned?" Cui Xingmeng had been paying attention to the conversation between Yuan Yizhou and Elder Cang Xi, so he interrupted to clarify his understanding.

"These are not just magnesium sulfate, because the melting point of magnesium sulfate is similar to that of basalt on the earth, which is mainly composed of silica compounds, and is over a thousand degrees!"

Yuan Yizhou shook his head and said, "This is an alternative water source on Mars. The water is in the form of hydrates and exists in magnesium sulfate heptahydrate!"

After hearing this, Elder Cangxi stomped his feet and stopped!