Signs of Water Bodies in Mars' South Pole Suggest Life

A network of possibly saltwater ponds and lakes might be underneath the South Pole of Mars, which might be a strong indicator of life on the Red Planet.

Italian scientists, led by members from the Roma Tre University, reported the data from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) in the latest journal Nature Astronomy, September 28. In the report, liquid water deposits lend insight to the debate regarding the existence, origin, and stability of liquid water considering current conditions in the Red Planet.

ESA's Mars Express Returns Images Of Echus Chasma — IN SPACE - JULY 16: In this handout image supplied by the European Space Agency (ESA) on July 16, 2008, The Echus Chasma, one of the largest water source regions on Mars, is pictured from ESA's Mars Express. The data was acquired on September 25, 2005. An impressive cliff, up to 4000 m high, is located in the eastern part of Echus Chasma. Gigantic water falls may once have plunged over these cliffs on to the valley floor. The remarkably smooth valley floor was later flooded by basaltic lava. Photo by ESA via Getty Images

New Evidence of Water on Mars

Their reports detail the existence of this underground saltwater lake, placed to be between 12 to 18 miles, or 20 to 30 kilometers, in width and 1 mile, or 1.6 kilometers, underneath Mars' cold, icy surface.

Additionally, researchers also discovered three other bodies of water, like smaller ponds that surround the underground lake. These "ponds" are of different sizes and do not seem connected to the larger lake.

Previous studies suggest that about 4 billion years ago, Mars was warmer and held water on its surface, primarily evidenced by the existence of now-fossilized rivers and large, sprawling canyons. Over time, the planet transformed into what it is today.

Researchers noted that the potential bodies of water greatly raises the possibility of microbes existing on or inside the planet. The high levels of salinity in these waters are most likely key in keeping the water from freezing, despite being at the South Pole. The surface temperature at this Martian location is estimated to be minus 172 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 113 degrees Celsius. Temperature increases as you approach the inner layers of the planet.

In the report, scientists behind this finding strongly recommended the location as biologically interesting, suggesting that "future missions to Mars should target this region."

Scientists have discovered several liquid water lakes beneath the southern surface of Mars. https://t.co/hMmaM4vy7d pic.twitter.com/ypCKwnGtCY — IGN (@IGN) September 28, 2020

The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS)

The data included in the report are taken from MARSIS, a low-frequency, pulse-limited radar sounder. It also has a built-in altimeter for estimating heights of geographic features found in the Martian surface. This instrument is currently installed on the Mars Express orbiter, by the European Space Agency, hovering above the Martian surface.

MARSIS was jointly developed by the University of Rome La Sapienza and the Thales Alenia Space Italy. Among its capabilities include ground-penetrating radar, enabling the detection of the saltwater lakes at the South Pole.

It was first deployed aboard the Mars Express in 2005, with its first boom released in May and the second antenna boom being deployed a month later.

In 2012, the scientists behind MARSIS measured the difference in dielectric constants between Mars' north and south hemispheres. This supported theories of water existing somewhere on the planet because the northern section is mainly composed of a material with lower average density.

MARSIS was also responsible for the discovery of a subglacial lake back in 2018. The "lake" was located below the southern polar ice cap and has been noted as the first known body of water that remained stable on The Red Planet.

Check out more news and information on Mars on Science Times.