A groundbreaking study released on Monday suggests that Mars may harbor a concealed ocean beneath its surface. Researchers estimate that an underground reservoir of water resides approximately 11.5 to 20 kilometers below the Martian crust, hidden within cracks in the rocks.
The volume of water discovered is substantial enough to potentially form a global ocean on Mars, reigniting discussions about the planet's capacity to support life in the past.
These findings are based on seismic measurements from NASA's Mars InSight lander, which utilized a seismometer to probe Mars' interior between 2018 and 2022.
According to planetary scientist Vashan Wright of the University of California, San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the water on Mars likely existed transiently on the surface over three billion years ago, creating rivers, lakes, and oceans. However, as Mars' atmosphere thinned, it is believed that the planet lost its surface water, allowing the water to seep into the crust.
\"Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the climate, surface and interior,\" Wright said.
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New study suggests presence of concealed ocean beneath surface of Mars
cgtn.com
