Chinese study uncovers evidence of ancient ocean on Mars particularly in the landing zone of the Zhurong rover of China.
A Chinese research team has uncovered multi-layered, tilted sedimentary formations beneath the surface of Mars, specifically in the landing zone of the Zhurong rover in the planet’s northern hemisphere. These formations bear a striking resemblance to coastal sediments found on Earth, offering the most compelling underground evidence yet of an ancient ocean in Mars’ mid-latitude regions, according to a recent report.
This discovery broadens the scope of liquid water evidence on Mars, extending beyond its polar regions—where human activity is minimal—to mid- and low-latitude areas that are more hospitable for future habitation. The findings confirm that Mars was once capable of supporting life, as highlighted in media reports.
Led by Fang Guangyou from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Mars radar research team detected these subsurface structures at depths of 10 to 35 meters in the southern part of Utopia Planitia, the landing site of the Zhurong rover.
Mars is widely regarded as the most viable candidate for human interstellar migration due to its geological features, seasonal cycles, and day-night rhythms that resemble those of Earth. Over the past few decades, numerous breakthroughs in Mars exploration have been made.
However, most prior discoveries have focused on the planet’s frigid, high-latitude regions, leading to debates over whether vast oceans ever existed in Mars’ northern lowlands. As a result, obtaining direct evidence of ancient Martian oceans has been a crucial scientific objective, according to reports.
China’s first Mars rover, Zhurong, successfully landed in the southern region of Utopia Planitia on May 15, 2021.
The rover was equipped with a Mars Subsurface Penetrating Radar, developed by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to analyze underground structures and search for potential water ice deposits.
Zhurong’s path was located about 280 kilometers north of the previously hypothesized ancient ocean shoreline, at an altitude approximately 500 meters lower than that estimated boundary.
By examining radar data from the rover’s low-frequency channel, researchers identified 76 underground tilted reflectors at depths ranging from 10 to 35 meters along the rover’s route.
These layered structures closely resemble radar images of coastal sediments on Earth. Their uniformity and physical properties rule out other possible explanations, such as windblown dunes, lava tubes, or river deposits.
The widespread presence of these sediments suggests that wave-driven coastal processes steadily deposited mud and sand along a shoreline, forming a progradational layer. Such formations could only emerge in a vast, stable body of water rather than from temporary melting events.
This study provides crucial underground evidence supporting the existence of ancient oceans in Mars’ northern plains and indicates that the planet once experienced an extended period of warm, wet climatic conditions.
The research suggests that Mars maintained liquid water for significant durations. Additionally, the dielectric properties of the identified coastal sediments, which align with those of fine and medium sand particles on Earth, further validate their oceanic origins.
The findings not only expand evidence of water beyond Mars’ polar regions to more habitable mid- and low-latitude zones, but also reinforce the notion that Mars was once a livable environment.
If an ancient ocean existed in this region, significant amounts of water may have been trapped underground as ice due to climatic shifts, potentially serving as a crucial resource for future Mars missions. This could significantly lower the costs of establishing and maintaining human settlements on the planet.
Moreover, these ancient ocean sediments preserve a record of Mars’ climatic evolution. Studying them can provide insights into how Mars transitioned from a warm and wet environment to its current cold and arid state, offering valuable knowledge for future efforts to terraform the planet and enable long-term human habitation.
Related Posts
