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We typically think of Mars as dry, desolate, and rocky but many scientists believe that the Red Planet once had lakes, rivers, and possibly oceans. Earlier this year, scientists uncovered vast ice deposits on Mars, but a new breakthrough reveals—for the first time—that there may be a lot more water hidden beneath the planet's surface.
These exciting findings—published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—stem from data gathered by NASA’s InSight Lander. Although the lander is no longer active, scientists continue to analyze the data it collected on Mars between 2018 and 2022.
The InSight Lander, equipped with a seismometer, recorded vibrations—or marsquakes—from deep within the Red Planet. The recently discovered “seismic signals,” indicate the presence of a reservoir of water believed to be 11.5 to 20 kilometers (7 miles to 12 miles) beneath the planet’s surface, within its rocky mid-crust.
Mars likely lost its surface water as its atmosphere thinned over time, leaving the planet a dry and dusty landscape as we know it today. Scientists suggest that much of this ancient water either dissipated into space or remains hidden underground.
If InSight's location at Elysium Planitia, near Mars’ equator, reflects conditions across the rest of the Red Planet, the underground water could be enough to fill a Martian ocean 1 to 2 kilometers (0.6 to 1.24 miles) deep. This major discovery sheds light on how Mars might have been more than 3 billion years ago, and even suggests the potential for past or present Martian life. However, further investigation is needed to confirm the presence of the water.
Still, this new discovery is a big step forward for researchers. We’re now closer than ever to uncovering the secrets of Mars and gaining deeper insights into its history and future potential.
Scientists Vashan Wright, Matthias Morzfeld, and Michael Manga write in their report, “Our results have implications for understanding Mars’ water cycle, determining the fates of past surface water, searching for past or extant life, and assessing in situ resource utilization for future missions.”
New research shows that there may be a huge reservoir of water beneath Mars’ surface.
The discovery is based on data collected by NASA’s InSight Lander, which recorded seismic signals from deep within the Red Planet.
h/t: [BBC]
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