2024-08-17 22:50:29
Washington: Humans have always been interested in Mars. There were once rivers and seas on Mars. Over time, they disappeared. But now a new study on Mars has revealed a big thing, through which the seas of Mars can be filled again. A recent study has revealed that a huge reservoir of liquid water may be hidden beneath the surface of Mars. Possibly so much water that it covers the entire planet with an ocean. This discovery is based on data from NASA’s InSight lander. This study suggests that there may be favorable conditions for microbial life on Mars in the past or present. But it will not be easy for astronauts to find it. NASA’s InSight lander continued to send data to Earth from 2018 until the conclusion of its mission in 2022. It provided seismic data of Mars, which has helped scientists discover this potential water reservoir. The water is located about 11-20 km below the surface. Unlike the surface where water freezes, the temperature at these depths is warm enough to keep the water liquid. The study says that temperatures on current Mars are warm enough for liquid water to exist near the top of the middle layer. The pores below the layer are expected to close.’
How was the study done?
Vashon Wright, a planetary scientist at the University of California, San Diego, said, “The presence of water beneath the surface on present-day Mars was determined by analyzing the speed of seismic waves. These waves change speed depending on the structure of the rocks, the presence of cracks and the things filling them.” Wright said that if all the water is removed from the cracks between these rocks, then a global ocean 1-2 kilometers deep could be filled.
There was water on Mars
The discovery of such a large underground water reservoir advances our understanding of Mars’ history and its ability to support life. More than 3 billion years ago, Mars was a warm planet with rivers, lakes and possibly oceans. The study also shows that most of the water seeped into the ground rather than escaping into space. Michael Manga, a planetary scientist at the University of California and co-author of the study, said that water may have seeped into the surface similar to Earth’s groundwater processes. This historical movement of water suggests that Mars may have been full of water from the beginning.