New research based on seismic readings from NASA’s Mars InSight lander suggests that there may be enough water hidden in the cracks of underground rocks beneath Mars’ surface to form an ocean. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used InSight data and computer models to determine that the seismic readings were most likely caused by underground water. This water is believed to have collected billions of years ago when Mars had rivers, lakes, and oceans. The lead scientist, Vashan Wright, stated that the Martian subsurface has the ingredients for microbial life, similar to Earth’s subsurface.
The InSight Lander, NASA’s first craft dedicated to looking beneath Mars’ surface, detected more than 1,300 marsquakes before it shut down in 2022. The location of InSight at Elysium Planitia near Mars’ equator suggests that there could be enough underground water to fill a global ocean 1-2km deep. Further investigation and drilling equipment would be needed to confirm the presence of water and search for signs of microbial life.
Scientists have been analyzing the data collected by InSight in an effort to understand more about Mars’ interior. Mars, once wet almost everywhere over 3 billion years ago, is now a dry, dusty world as it lost its surface water when its atmosphere thinned. The ancient water is believed to have either escaped into space or remained buried below the surface. The findings from this study provide valuable insights into the presence of water on Mars and its potential implications for the existence of life on the red planet.
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