Did Mars ever have an ocean? China’s Zhurong Rover Reveals New Clues
In an intriguing development for Mars exploration, China’s Zhurong rover has discovered geological features that indicate a vast ocean once covered part of Mars’ surface. The discovery, published on Thursday, November 7, 2024 in the journal Nature, offers a new perspective on the long-discussed theory that an ancient ocean covered a third of Mars about 3.7 billion years ago. Evidence collected by Zhurong indicates formations in the planet’s northern Utopia region that could be remnants of a Martian coastline, raising questions about Mars’ potential to support past life.
Signs of water-based activity on Mars
Zhurong landed in 2021 and began its mission on Mars’ Utopia Planitia, an area in the planet’s northern hemisphere where signs of water had previously been observed. The rover identified features such as pitted cones, polygonal troughs and etched surface patterns. According to Bo Wu, Lead study author from Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityThese structures correspond to features typically associated with ancient water activity. For example, crater-like formations may have been created by mud volcanoes, which often occur in areas with a lot of water or ice.
Satellite data and analyzes conducted on Earth further strengthened this hypothesis, suggesting that there could once have been a coastline near Zhurong’s landing site. While these findings provide insights, Wu stated that they do not confirm the existence of an ocean on Mars beyond a reasonable doubt, a claim that would require further physical sampling of Mars.
Expert perspectives on the geological activity of Mars
The study’s conclusions are not universally accepted among researchers. Dr. Benjamin Cardenas, a geoscientist from Pennsylvania State University, expressed some skepticism, suggesting that over billions of years, Martian winds would likely erode evidence of an ancient coastline. Cardenas, who has studied changes to Mars’ surface, pointed out that even Mars’ slower erosion rate could erode these features over time. Nevertheless, he acknowledges that the theory of an ancient Martian ocean remains plausible.
Implications for life on Mars
If Mars indeed possesses a vast ocean, understanding its nature could provide clues about the planet’s habitability and how life might emerge in alien environments. Dr. Cardenas noted that many scientists believe that the earliest life on Earth emerged in oceanic environments, either near mineral-rich vents on the seafloor or in shallow coastal pools where water and air met. These findings underscore the potential of Mars to have once hosted similar life-sustaining environments, a question that remains central to planetary science today.
