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    • Chinese rover discovers new evidence supporting ancient ocean theory on M
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    Chinese rover discovers new evidence supporting ancient ocean theory on M

    Umito Posted on

    A recent study published Thursday revealed polygonal underground structures formed millions of years ago on Mars, suggesting unusual water-related activity in the Utopia Planitia region. The Chinese rover “Zhurong”, which landed on Mars in May 2021, played a decisive role in this discovery. The rover analyzed the sediments of Vastitas Borealis, a low-lying plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars, where it collected data vital to understanding the planet’s climate history.

    An international team of scientists has discovered definitive evidence of an ancient ocean in the Utopia Planitia region, which was long assumed to be part of an ancient ocean covering the northern lowlands of Mars . Evidence found by the Zhurong rover includes traces of beaches that may have been adjacent to water, as well as geological features indicative of an ancient coastline. These features include “hollow cones, polygonal grooves and flow traces,” according to Bo Wu, a planetary scientist at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and lead author of the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

    “We estimate that the Utopia Planitia flood on Mars occurred about 3.68 billion years ago. The ocean surface was likely frozen over a geologically short period of time,” said Bo Wu The researchers concluded a scenario in which the ocean formed following flooding about 3.7 billion years ago, then froze, creating a coastline, and then dried up there. is approximately 3.4 billion years old. Over the next 230 million years, the ocean on Mars retreated until it disappeared completely.

    The Zhurong rover worked on the surface of Mars for just under a year before becoming inactive due to a sandstorm and Martian winter. Despite its limited operational period, it has provided significant information on Martian surface and subsurface structures. The rover’s findings, combined with data from China’s Tianwen-1 orbiter and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, indicate the existence of an ocean of water at a time when Mars may have already become cold and dry and had lost much of its atmosphere.

    Uncovered evidence includes coastal landforms along the possible shoreline and depositional behavior of the Vastitas Borealis Formation (VBF) unit, supporting a sedimentation mechanism involving heavily silted water. This is consistent with distinctive geological features such as troughs, sedimentary channels and mud volcanic formations, indicative of an ancient coastal area. The VBF deposits are mainly composed of fine-grained materials, suggesting a sedimentary nature probably formed from fluvial, lake or marine sediments.

    Remote sensing observations were complemented by in situ analysis to reveal characteristics compatible with the existence of a littoral zone in the south of Utopia Planitia, indicating a significant quantity of water in this region. Widespread water- and ice-related landforms in southern Utopia improve understanding of the evolution of Mars, particularly with respect to the potential of ancient water masses.

    However, not all scientists are convinced of the conclusions drawn from this data. Benjamin Cardenas, a scientist who has analyzed other indicators of the possibility of an ocean, questioned the accuracy of the recent findings. He thinks researchers may not have sufficiently considered the impact of Martian winds on sediment movement. Cardenas told the French news agency AFP: “We tend to consider Mars as not very active, like the Moon, but it is active!”

    Bo Wu acknowledged that winds may have caused some rocks to erode, but clarified that his research team “does not claim that the results conclusively prove the existence of an ocean on Mars.” He added that meteorite impacts can “from time to time bring rocks and sediments from underground to the surface.” This level of evidence will likely require sending a spacecraft to collect samples of Martian soil and return them to Earth for examination.

    Despite the ongoing debate, Cardenas confirmed that he leans “toward the belief in the existence of an ocean on Mars.” He recalled that “most scientists believe that life forms on Earth originated either on the ocean floor, where hot gases and minerals are found, or near the surface, in small tidal pools.” He added: “Possible proof of the existence of an ocean makes the planet more hospitable, and thus, proof of the existence of an ocean makes the planet seem more suitable for the existence of life forms organic.”

    The study further suggests an evolutionary scenario for the southern littoral zone of Utopia in the context of the Martian ocean theory, reinforcing the probability that the southern region of Utopia Planitia could have hosted a large mass of ‘water. These missions provide a coherent picture of what Mars looked like, but there are still missing pieces of the puzzle. Determining the truth in this matter could help solve a larger mystery: Is Earth the only planet that can support life forms in the solar system?

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    A mission further north from the Zhurong landing site could find more compelling evidence of the existence of an ocean on Mars and what that ocean might have looked like. The combination of these factors allows us to assume the presence of a vast reservoir of water and mud in the south of Utopia Planitia. The analysis improves understanding of the evolution of Mars, particularly regarding the potential for ancient bodies of water in southern Utopia.

    Sources: IFLScience, Nature, Live Hindustan, Asharq Al-Awsat (English), Newsweek, The Independent, Futura Science

    This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq



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