(Xiaoguang Qin et al. / Science Advances, 2023 https://bit.ly/3AIU3iF)
Chinese scientists from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found traces of salty water in the low latitudes of Mars
The water flowed on the surface about 0.4-1.4 million years ago, and left behind dunes covered with hydrated minerals that the Zhurong rover found.
The question of when was the last time liquid water flowed on the surface of Mars and whether it can still be present is extremely important.
Answering that question may tell us if there’s still the possibility of life on the red planet.
Much evidence has now been found that entire rivers and lakes of liquid water existed on ancient Mars, and water reservoirs can still be hidden under the thickness of the polar caps.
Some theorists suggest that there may still be zones on modern Mars where liquid water could exist.
THE STUDY
Now, a team led by Qin Xiaoguang said it had found evidence for the presence of liquid water in the low latitudes of Mars in the relatively recent past.
The exact area was the southern part of the Utopia plain, which was explored by the rover using cameras and a spectrometer.
As it moved across the plain, the rover found several barchan dunes with crescent-shaped morphology, which were formed by the action of the wind.
In some places, bright areas with a crust, polygonal figures outlined by cracks, traces of cementation and agglomeration of sand grains are observed on their surface.
Near one of the dunes, a light stripe-like footprint was found, more than 40 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters wide.
Analysis of the composition of crusts and agglomerates showed the content of hydrated sulfates, hydrated silica, minerals based on ferric oxide and chlorides.
According to the researchers, all the described finds cannot be explained by the effects of wind and the processes of freezing and sublimation of carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere.
Most likely, they were formed when salty water flowed and evaporated here, resulting from the melting of frost or snow in the period from 1.4 to 0.4 million years ago.
Sources:
- Science Advances: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.add8868
- Space.com: https://www.space.com/china-zhurong-mars-rover-recent-water-activity
- China Daily: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202305/01/WS644f2181a310b6054fad09d6.html
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