Chinese scientists have found evidence of the existence of an ancient ocean on Mars

Miscellaneous / by admin / May 19, 2023

Now we have to find out what happened to such a huge volume of water.

Scientists from the China University of Geological Sciences in Wuhan have found direct evidence of an ancient ocean in the Great Northern Plain on Mars. About it writes Xinhua agency.

They analyzed data from the Zhurong rover's multispectral camera and found "petrological evidence of marine sediments on the surface" of the Red Planet for the first time.

The rover images show outcrop patterns that are significantly different from ordinary volcanic rocks on the surface of Mars, as well as from the occurrence structures formed by eolian sands.

Xiao Long

Lead author of the study and professor at the China University of Geological Sciences

There is a hypothesis that even 3.7 billion years ago there was water on Mars. And in such quantity that it probably covered the entire surface of the planet. However, these claims remain controversial due to a lack of analysis in situ.

Now the researchers want to find out what could have become with such a volume of liquid. According to one theory, it simply evaporated. However, it is possible that water is still hiding in the depths of the Red Planet.

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