While the Martian surface may appear desolate at first glance, new findings suggest that there may have been water activity in the planet that ended more recently than previously thought.
Traces of Recent Water Activity Found in Martian Dunes
Science Alert reports that the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) conducted new research, published in Science Advances, that revealed that the Zhurong rover was able to observe dunes in the Martian Utopia Planitia region. These dunes specifically had crusts and cracks that indicate that there may have been water flowing through a few hundred thousand years ago.
Since the Zhurong rover landed in May 2021, it was able to move close to four dunes, with a crescent shape, in the Utopia Planitia. The rover aimed to delve deeper into the composition of its surface, as reported by Space.com. Each of the four were found to be coated with fractured ridges and crusts that may have formed due to melting of water pockets. This may have taken place roughly 400,000 to 1.4 million years ago.
According to Xiaoguang Qin, a co-author of the study and a scientist from CAS, this means that water activity was more recent in Mars' history.
Water on Mars
It has been a long-standing assumption of scientists that Mars was abundant with water roughly three billion years ago. Grave climate changes, however, led to the planet being parched and dry.
The researchers also explain in their research that snow-thawed saline water could have been involved. The discovery reveals the more humid climate of Mars and offers vital clues for coming missions that focus on the search for extant life, especially in low-latitude areas that have more amenable temperatures at the surface.
During this specific time, the environment on Mars was strikingly similar to its extreme conditions today. Hence, the findings show that the hydrological cycle was existent even more recently than thought.
Science Alert adds that the discovery may point to the existence of small fertile patches, where microbial life could be thriving. However, further study is required in order for such conclusions to be confidently made.
This is also something that future robotic missions may delve into, since the Zhurong rover is still asleep.
Zhurong Rover Hibernation
The rover was supposed to wake up from induced hibernation last December 2022 after starting in May 2022. However, it is still hibernating until today. Specialists think that this is due to the buildup of dust around
Before this induced hibernation, the Zhurong rover looked into the Martian surface for around a year. Science Alert adds that as of May 5, 2022, the rover was able to explore 1,921 meters of the Martian surface.
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