Scientists have found evidence of a huge ocean that once existed on Mars. After six years of research and convincing evidence scientists have concluded that a massive water body existed on Mars that was the same size as the Arctic Ocean.
The ocean is said to have covered the planet's northern hemisphere. It is also deduced that the ocean has held more than 20 million cubic kilometers of water (more than the Arctic Ocean). This discovery also adds weight to the theory portrayed by NASA that mars was a wet planet with rivers, streams and lakes.
Mars also contained many open lakes that existed millions of years ago. Another point in which the scientists are in dilemma is the source from which the open lakes got water. There had to be some large water body that supplied water otherwise the lakes would have dried up pretty fast. Looks like this ocean theory will clear the dilemma.
A new question that arises is the quantity of water Mars held and where did that water go? It is assumed that at that time Mars was a considerably warmer planet with the presence of greenhouse gases, so the water must have evaporated. But scientists have not found convincing evidence of the presence of greenhouse gases on Mars. Other theories state that the water on Mars was lighter and dissipated over time.
As for the quantity of water, studies state that the water on Mars was made up of deuterium (an isotope of hydrogen). As the water is lost the concentration of deuterium is left behind. This can help to calculate the amount of water Mars contained.
Reports claim that the ice tops contain 13 percent of Mars' unique water. It is also alleged that 4.3 billion years ago there was enough water on Mars to cover 19 percent of its surface with a depth of more than a mile.
This also adds light to the theory of life on Mars, and the discovery has perhaps proven the fact that Mars had everything to sustain life. For that reason, it is also possible that alien life may have formed there.
