This was determined by NASA’s new Mars Insight Lander, which in 2018 landed on the planet, data analysis.
The rover carried a seismometer, which for four years recorded vibrations – Martian tremors – from deep within the Red Planet.
Analyzing these tremors—and how exactly the planet moves—has revealed “seismic signals” of liquid water.
Although Mars has frozen water at the poles and water vapor in the atmosphere, this is the first time that liquid water has been found on the planet.
The findings are published žurnale „Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences“.
Insight’s scientific mission ended in 2022. in December, after the lander sat quietly for four years listening to the “pulse of Mars.”
During that time, the probe recorded more than 1,319 Martian earthquakes.
By measuring how fast seismic waves travel, scientists have discovered what material they are most likely traveling through.
“These are the same methods we use to find water on Earth or to find oil and gas,” explained Michael Manga, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley (USA), who participated in the study.
The analysis revealed that there are water bodies in the Martian crust at a depth of about 10-20 km.
Manga added that water is “the most important molecule that determines the evolution of the planet”. According to him, this discovery answers the important question “where did all the water on Mars go?”
Studies of the surface of Mars show that there were rivers and lakes on the planet in ancient times. But it has been a desert for three billion years.
When Mars lost its atmosphere, some of the water traveled into space. But according to Mango, on Earth “most of the water is underground, so there’s no reason why it couldn’t be the same on Mars”.
NASA’s Insight probe has only been able to record data directly from the crust beneath it, but scientists believe that similar deposits can be found all over the planet.
However, they point out that the location of this Martian groundwater is not good news for billionaires who have plans to colonize Mars and may want to take advantage of it.
“It is concentrated at a depth of 10-20 km in the crust. Drilling a 10 km deep hole on Mars – even [Elonui] It would be difficult for Musk,” explained M. Manga.
The discovery may also point to another target for the ongoing search for evidence of life on Mars.
“Without liquid water, there is no life,” Manga said. “So if there are habitable environments on Mars, they may now be deep underground.”
BBC parents.
2024-08-13 08:50:41