A pioneering NASA robot detected over a thousand quakes on Secret Pleasures (2002) Watch onlineMars. It also may have revealed a huge reservoir of water.
Planetary scientists used unprecedented data collected by the space agency's InSight lander, which recorded geologic activity on Mars for four years, to reveal that water may exist many miles down in the Martian crust. The research, which invites further investigation, may explain where bounties of the Red Planet's water went as the world dried up, and suggests that Mars may host hospitable environs for life.
On our rocky planet, bounties of water exist in the subsurface. Why not on Mars, too?
"Exactly! We identified the Martian equivalent of deep groundwater on Earth," Michael Manga, a planetary scientist at UC Berkeley who coauthored the new research, told Mashable.
The study recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.The detected water is nowhere near the Martian surface — which is today 1,000times drier than the driest desert on Earth. It exists some seven to 13 miles underground (11.5 to 20 kilometers) in cracks and ruptures in the deep Mars crust, as shown in the graphic below.
NASA designed the InSight lander to observe Mars' inner workings, so the craft carried a seismometer, similar to those that measure quakes on Earth. It picked up different types of seismic waves, caused by marsquakes, geologic activity, and meteorites bombarding the surface. Crucially, these waves, which are generated by an impulse like an impact or temblor, provide lots of information about the world below. The speed of a seismic wave depends on what the rock is made of, whether this rock has cracks, and what the cracks are filled with, Manga explained. The researchers then plug these seismic Martian readings (along with subsurface gravity measurements) into programs that simulate what lies below — they're the same computer models geologists use to map water aquifers on Earth or gas resources deep underground.
"A mid-crust whose rocks are cracked and filled with liquid water best explains both seismic and gravity data," Manga said.
A temperate Red Planet once hosted great Martian lakes and rivers. Some 3 billion years ago, scientists suspect much of this water was lost to space after Mars gradually lost its insulating atmosphere. Yet colossal amounts of water might have drained into the subsurface, too. It's unclear how much, though this latest water detection suggests a considerable amount of water could lie in the deep Martian crust.
"We knew that the liquid water being buried deep in the subsurface was one possible solution to the question of where Mars' ancient liquid surface water went," Manga said.
"On Earth we find microbial life deep underground where rocks are saturated with water and there is an energy source."
The possible existence of water raises an enticing question. Could something live down there? Our planet provides a clue.
"On Earth we find microbial life deep underground where rocks are saturated with water and there is an energy source," Manga said.
Future Martian explorers won't be able to drill many miles into Martian rock to access or analyze this water. But they might find other places, such as geologically active regions like Cerberus Fossae on Mars, where liquid water could potentially be expelled to the desert floor.
The Martian surface may indeed be a harsh, irradiated place, but it's plausible hardy life could thrive in the deep, watery underworld.
Best iPad deal: Save over $100 on the Apple iPad 9th GenGoogle Search is testing blue checkmark feature that helps users spot genuine websitesBest early October Prime Day MacBook deals: Shop recordHow not to get scammed on freelance platformsToday's Hurdle hints and answers for October 7Nearly a quarter of iPhone users say green bubbles are a dating dealbreaker, new survey revealsNearly a quarter of iPhone users say green bubbles are a dating dealbreaker, new survey revealsWhat's in the rug? TikTok's latest true crime mystery has been solved.Best early October Prime Day 4K TV dealsClemson vs. Florida State football livestreams: kickoff time, streaming deals, and moreHow to factory reset a PS4NYT Strands hints, answers for October 5Hurricane Milton: Spaghetti models track the storm’s Florida pathBest Bluetooth speaker deals: Prime Big Deal Days 2024Best Bluetooth speaker deals: Prime Big Deal Days 2024Nearly a quarter of iPhone users say green bubbles are a dating dealbreaker, new survey revealsNYT mini crossword answers for October 6Early Oct. Prime Day gaming deals: PC discounts aplentyBest espresso machine deals to grab ahead of October Prime Day 2024Grindr is testing an AI 'wingman' bot, CEO says Christian Bale hasn't seen Ben Affleck's Batman yet The 2 tiny 'Black Mirror' Season 4 celebrity cameos you may have missed Happy 9th birthday, Bitcoin! Janet from 'The Good Place' is a digital assistant on steroids LG's new 88 It's snowing in the South and people are losing their damn minds Beyonce leads huge Coachella 2018 lineup Intel CEO is under fire for selling $39 million in stock Why old Android phones don't slow down like iPhones Man repurposed his Christmas cards to use through out the year and began an internet revolution Man on 'Jeopardy!' learns the hard way to always keep it 'gangsta' 'Black Mirror' timeline: What order do the episodes go in? 'Black Mirror' gets it dangerously wrong about abortion Incredible images show the East Coast 'bomb cyclone' from space Nintendo is on pace to become the best selling console of all time A giant balloon that's part of an art installation is causing traffic chaos in London Man jumps from emergency exit on airplane, stands on wing Hulu orders two seasons of 'Animaniacs' Apple: all Macs and iOS devices are affected by Meltdown and Spectre Former Hillary Clinton campaign CTO joins fitness startup Strava
2.5737s , 10130.7734375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Secret Pleasures (2002) Watch online】,Fresh Information Network