sjb (11/27/82)
Radar imaging taken during STS-5 has revealed a vast ancient river system in the now Egyptian Desert. The area, which used to be a rich grassland, is now a vast dry desert. The radar pictures, able to probe 15 feet down into the dry surface, showed the riverbeds of what used to be a river system as great as the Nile.
pcmcgeer (11/28/82)
Now, there is an argument for Proxmire. I can hear it now: Columbia discovered dry river beds under the desert, which promptly were used by the Egyptian government for an irrigation system, which in turn turned the Egyptian desert into fertile farmland, which in turn made Egypt independent in dairy products, which hurts the farmers of Wisconsin (those god-like creatures...) Seriously, this discovery may be the most important made by STS-V. If the Egyptians really do use the riverbed for irrigation, I wonder how many will credit Columbia and the space program for the discovery? Damned few, I'll bet. Rick.
everett (11/29/82)
#R:alice:-119900:hp-pcd:3400001:000:589
hp-pcd!everett Nov 29 09:45:00 1982
From: Everett Kaser
hplabs!hp-pcd
This is in response to the first response.
You seem to have missed something. The discovery was of *dry* river beds.
It's hard to irrigate from *dry* river beds. (i.e. there used to be water
there, but no more; that's why it's desert now.) Other than what this
discovery can tell us about the climate in ages gone by, the other really
exciting possibility is that they may be able to discover ancient settlements
(circa 10,000 years old) preserved beneath the sands. Supposedly, excellent
possible cites for such have been spotted from the data.etistw3 (12/01/82)
#R:alice:-119900:uicsovax:2400003:000:651
uicsovax!etistw3 Nov 30 19:43:00 1982
***** uicsovax:net.poems / ihuxe!pjane / 3:36 pm Nov 15, 1982
How easy
the breath
that kills a flame.
How hard
to kindle
that light again.
Cold words kill
and
kind words kindle.
By words withheld,
a dream may dwindle.
Unknown author.
Sugar
ihuxe!pjane
----------hardie (12/02/82)
This is a picky detail but is it not more accurate to say that the instruments on board the satellite launched by Columbia did the detecting of things like dry riverbeds? Columbia itself was the 'delivery truck'? (Which does not detract from Columbia at all - MORE POWER TO IT I say!)
pcmcgeer (12/02/82)
Sigh. You're right, of course. I had hoped that the riverbeds would serve as major channels, but I forgot that they must as well be conveniently placed. I hadn't thought about the other angle. That *is* exciting. Rick.