In a monumental revelation that could change our understanding of the Red Planet, NASA scientists have discovered a vast underground reservoir of liquid water on Mars. This isn’t just a small pocket of moisture; it’s an immense body of water that could have once covered the entire planet with an ocean up to 1-2 kilometres (about a mile) deep. But while this discovery is thrilling, it also comes with some significant challenges.
Osuga Valles on Mars
Unraveling Mars’ Watery Past
Mars, the dusty and dry world we know today, wasn’t always so barren. Billions of years ago, it was a very different place—warm, wet, and potentially habitable. Evidence scattered across the Martian landscape tells a story of flowing rivers, lakes, and possibly even oceans. Three key pieces of evidence point to this watery past:
- Ancient River Valleys and Channels: Mars is dotted with features that closely resemble river valleys and deltas on Earth. These networks of branching valleys suggest that liquid water once flowed across the Martian surface, carving out channels and depositing sediments just like rivers do on our planet.
- Hydrated Minerals: The presence of minerals like clays, sulfates, and certain types of salts on Mars is another strong indicator of water. These minerals form in the presence of water and have been detected by various missions, including the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Curiosity rover.
- Sedimentary Rock Formations: Just like on Earth, water processes on Mars have left behind layered rock formations. These sedimentary rocks often show features like cross-bedding and ripple marks, which are created by moving water.
The Disappearance of Mars’ Water
So, what happened to all that water? Between three and four billion years ago, Mars underwent a series of catastrophic changes. The planet lost its global magnetic field, which had once protected its atmosphere from the relentless solar wind. Without this magnetic shield, the solar wind gradually stripped away much of Mars’ atmosphere, leading to a significant drop in atmospheric pressure.
As the atmosphere thinned, liquid water on the surface began to evaporate and escape into space. The weakened greenhouse effect caused temperatures to plummet, turning any remaining water into ice, either on the surface or locked away as permafrost beneath the ground.
The Big Question: Where’s the Rest of the Water?
Even after accounting for the water lost to space, scientists were left with a nagging question: where did the rest of Mars’ water go? The frozen water in the polar ice caps didn’t seem to account for all the water that once existed on the planet. This led researchers to speculate that some of it might be hiding deep underground.
InSight’s Groundbreaking Discovery
The answer to this mystery came from NASA’s InSight lander, a mission designed to explore Mars’ interior structure. Unlike previous missions that focused on surface exploration, InSight dug deeper—literally and figuratively. By detecting and analyzing more than 1,300 Marsquakes during its mission, InSight provided valuable data that allowed scientists to probe the planet’s interior.
The InSight lander remained operational on Mars from 26 November 2018 to 15 December 2022
What they found was astonishing: a large reservoir of liquid water buried deep beneath Mars’ surface, hidden within a layer of fractured igneous rock. This discovery was made using a technique similar to the one used on Earth to map underground aquifers and oil fields. The water is trapped in cracks within the rock, at depths between 11.5 and 20 kilometers (7 to 13 miles) below the surface.
The Catch: Too Deep to Reach—For Now
While the discovery of this underground ocean is exciting, it comes with a significant challenge. The water is buried far too deep for current technology to access. Even on Earth, drilling to such depths would be an extraordinary challenge. This means that, for now, the water remains out of reach for future astronauts and scientists hoping to study it directly.
Life on Mars? A Possibility to Explore
The existence of liquid water on Mars, even buried deep underground, opens up intriguing possibilities for life. On Earth, similar extreme environments, like deep mines or the ocean floor, host microbial life. If habitable conditions exist on Mars, they are likely to be found deep underground, where this water reservoir lies.
Understanding Mars’ water cycle is crucial not only for grasping the planet’s climate evolution but also for assessing its potential to support life. If life ever existed—or still exists—on Mars, it might be hidden in these deep, underground waters, waiting to be discovered.
The Future of Mars Exploration
NASA’s discovery is a significant step forward in our quest to understand Mars and its potential to support life. However, the challenge now lies in developing the technology to reach these hidden waters. As our exploration of Mars continues, this underground ocean will undoubtedly remain a focal point of research, fueling our curiosity and driving future missions.
In the end, while we may not be able to access this water just yet, its discovery is a reminder of the secrets Mars still holds and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead as we continue to explore the Red Planet.
