This finding, which suggests the existence of an ocean between 4.9 and 8.9 feet deep if melted, could reshape our understanding of the Red Planet and its potential for harboring life.
Mars Express, a veteran spacecraft orbiting Mars for two
decades, has detected the largest amount of water ice near Mars’ equator to
date. This discovery aligns with previous findings of frozen water on Mars but
surpasses them in scale and significance. The ice deposits, extending 2.3 miles
underground and topped by a crust of hardened ash and dry dust, are not pure
blocks of ice but are heavily contaminated by dust.
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This map shows the estimated amount of ice within the mounds
that form the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) consists of a series of
wind-sculpted deposits measuring hundreds of kilometers across and several
kilometers high, indicating that the ice-rich deposits are up to 3000m thick.
(Image credit: Planetary Science Institute/Smithsonian Institution) |
The Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF), a geological formation
on Mars, has been a subject of intrigue for scientists. Situated near the
boundary between Mars’ northern highlands and southern lowlands, the MFF is
covered in heaps of dust, fueling the planet’s giant dust storms. The new
observations by MARSIS, a subsurface radar aboard Mars Express, have revealed
that these deposits are low in density and transparent to radar,
characteristics expected of water ice.
The presence of subsurface water ice at low and equatorial
latitudes on Mars hints at a drastically different climate in the planet’s
distant past. This latest analysis challenges our understanding of the MFF and
raises questions about Mars’ history and climate evolution. The ice’s existence
could be attributed to Mars’ wandering axis, with the axial tilt varying
chaotically over the planet’s history. During periods of high obliquity, water
ice could form in large quantities at the equator, later being buried by ash
and dust.
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In this image, the white line on Mars’ surface (top) shows a
stretch of land that was scanned by MARSIS. The graph below shows the shape of
the land and the structure of the subsurface, with the layer of dry sediments
(likely dust or volcanic ash) in brown and the layer of suspected ice-rich
deposits in blue. The graph shows that the ice deposit is thousands of meters
high and hundreds of kilometers wide. (Image credit: CReSIS/KU/Smithsonian
Institution) |
This discovery is not just a scientific curiosity but has
practical implications for future crewed missions to Mars. While accessing the
water ice would be challenging due to its depth, its presence near the equator
makes it more accessible than ice at the poles. The potential for extracting
water from these deposits could be crucial for supporting human exploration and
long-term presence on Mars.
The findings from the Mars Express mission contribute
significantly to our understanding of Mars and its potential for supporting
life. As we continue to explore the Red Planet, discoveries like these open new
avenues for research and exploration, bringing us closer to unraveling the
mysteries of our neighboring planet.
Reference(s): ESA