Washington: A groundbreaking study released Monday, using data from NASA’s Mars InSight lander, has uncovered compelling evidence of liquid water deep beneath the Martian surface. This discovery advances the search for life on Mars and provides insights into the fate of its ancient oceans.
Since its arrival on Mars in 2018, the InSight lander has collected seismic data over four years, analyzing ground vibrations to reveal the composition of subsurface materials. Researchers now believe that vast reservoirs of liquid water lie 11.5 to 20 kilometers (7.15 to 12.4 miles) below the surface.
The study suggests that these findings represent a greater volume of liquid water than previously estimated for Mars’ ancient oceans. This subsurface water, crucial for life, hints at potential microbial habitats similar to those found deep within Earth’s crust.
“On Earth, wherever there’s sufficient moisture and energy sources, microbial life thrives in deep subsurface environments,” noted Vashan Wright from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. “If our interpretations are correct, the Martian subsurface contains the essential ingredients for life.”
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The study indicates that groundwater likely infiltrated Mars’ surface when the upper crust was warmer, similar to Earth’s geological processes. While direct study of this deep Martian water is currently impossible, these results have significant implications for understanding Mars’ water cycle, the fate of past surface water, and the search for potential life. They also offer insights into resource utilization for future missions to the Red Planet.
The study, authored by Vashan Wright, Matthias Morzfeld from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Michael Manga from the University of California Berkeley, is published in the week of August 12 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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“I’m inspired, and I hope the public feels the same,” Wright commented. “Human collaboration has allowed us to place instruments on another planet and gain a deeper understanding of its mysteries.”
