Gives hope for the existence of life: one of the craters on Mars was probably filled with water
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The Perseverance rover may have encountered signs of life on Mars. His instruments confirmed that at least one crater on the red planet was filled with water a long time ago.
This is reported by Science Alert with reference to a study published in the scientific journal Science Advances.
Previously, scientists noticed that the surface of the Jezero crater has signs of a dried-up lake that was fed by an ancient river. That is why a rover was sent to study it in February 2021.
“From orbit, we can see many different deposits, but we can’t say for sure whether this is the initial state or the end of a long geological history. To find out how these things formed, we need to look below the surface.” – said co-author of the study David Page from the University of California in Los Angeles.
| Perseverance rover. Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech |
The main superpower of the rover named “Percy” is a ground-penetrating radar. It is capable of detecting ice, water or salt at a depth of more than 10 meters, as well as mapping soil and rock layers at a depth of up to 20 meters.
For most of the past year, Percy has been moving along the western rim of Jezero Crater and using its radar to probe the surface below.
The collected data made it possible to look under the Martian surface – exactly where the lake could be.
Underground images show that the guess of scientists was correct. Researchers have found evidence that a 4-billion-year-old crater created by an asteroid impact was filled with younger sediments and rocks.
They could have been brought into the crater by water or volcanic activity. However, data from “Percy” indicate that the first option is more likely.
The lake may have occupied a large part of Jezero, possibly extending 7 kilometers inland. Over time, the water level in it changed. However, further research is needed to confirm this.
If Mars is even remotely similar to Earth, then such an aqueous environment would be an ideal place for the formation of microbial life.
“Percy” has already drilled and taken several samples of sedimentary rocks from this very place. His inventory is 60% full. Some of the collected samples even have signs of organic compounds. However, it is not yet possible to say whether they come from biological or geological sources.
“This sequence of events reinforces the notion that Jezero Crater has recorded a rich geological history that was driven by large-scale changes in the Martian environment.
A fuller understanding of these events may have to await the return and analysis of the Perseverance samples.” – the article says.
It will be recalled that scientists have named the animals that can be the first to settle on Mars and the Moon.
Read also: From dawn to dusk: NASA’s rover showed 12 hours on the Red Planet
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