Exciting Discovery of Vast Water Reserves on Mars
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Chapter 1: Water on Mars - A Game Changer
The recent discovery of significant water reserves on Mars has stirred up excitement in the scientific community. This finding, made by the ExoMars orbiter, highlights the presence of water beneath the surface of the largest canyon in our solar system, Valles Marineris.
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, launched on March 14, 2016, is part of a collaborative mission involving the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia's Roskosmos. It comprises both an orbiter and a lander (the latter of which unfortunately crashed during landing) along with two rovers. The primary aim of this mission was to seek out biological and geological markers on the Martian surface. After nearly six years of diligent exploration, researchers have identified vast water deposits in the Valles Marineris canyon, with estimates suggesting that almost 40% of its surface may be ice, albeit concealed beneath a layer of regolith.
Valles Marineris is an astonishing geological feature, stretching approximately 5,000 kilometers and reaching widths of around 200 kilometers, with depths plunging up to 11 kilometers. This makes it the largest canyon in the entire Solar System. NASA has noted that if this canyon existed on Earth, it would span from New York to California.
Section 1.1: Discovering Water in Unexpected Places
Historically, it has been known that ice exists beneath the Martian surface in polar regions. However, the detection of water within Valles Marineris is surprising given the area's warmer temperatures, which typically wouldn't support the stability of ice. The orbiter collected data from May 2018 to February 2021, utilizing the FREND (Fine Resolution Exploration Neutron Detector) instrument designed to probe for hydrogen on Mars. Findings regarding this water were recently published in the scientific journal Icarus.
“FREND enables us to detect what lies even a meter beneath Mars's surface. This has allowed us to identify 'oases' of water that previously went unnoticed,” states Igor Mitrofanov, a study contributor. The instrument indicated a substantial hydrogen presence in Valles Marineris, leading scientists to hypothesize that as much as 40% of the area might contain water.
Section 1.2: Future Mars Missions
Scientists are now focused on determining the exact state of the water identified by FREND. Currently, it is believed that H2O is primarily present in ice form. Regardless of its state, this discovery lays a vital foundation for future Mars exploration efforts. Upcoming rover missions could delve deeper into this area to assess the water's condition, potentially uncovering the first signs of life on Mars.
“The more we learn about the locations and forms of water on Mars, the better we can comprehend the planet's history. This is also a crucial step toward identifying suitable environments for possible colonization efforts,” concludes Colin Wilson, an ExoMars scientist.
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