Mars was once a watery world, filled with lakes, rivers, and possibly even oceans. Recent research has uncovered exciting details about its wet past. Scientists from Italy and Switzerland studied images from three satellites, focusing on a deep canyon called Coprates Chasma within the massive Valles Marineris canyon system.
In these images, they noticed fan-like deposits resembling river deltas on Earth. These structures typically form where rivers meet larger bodies of water. As Fritz Schlunegger, a geomorphologist at the University of Bern, pointed out, “Delta structures develop where rivers debouch into oceans.” His insights highlight that we’re seeing evidence of what used to be a river flowing into a Martian ocean.
All the delta-like formations were found at depths of about 3,650 to 3,750 meters below Mars’s surface reference level. This suggests a vast ocean that once covered part of the planet, comparable in size to our Arctic Ocean. Ignatius Argadestya, a geologist also from the University of Bern, noted that this research shows “the deepest and largest former ocean on Mars to date,” estimated to be around 3 billion years old. This period had the most surface water Mars has seen, occurring later than many previous estimates suggested.
Scientific insights keep growing. According to a recent survey from NASA, studies show that early Earth and Mars had similar conditions, leading some experts to believe Mars could have supported life. The idea that Mars was once hospitable raises fascinating questions about the potential for ancient organisms.
As scientists continue their work, these newly identified coastlines could be promising spots to search for clues about past life on Mars. The findings were detailed in the journal npj Space Exploration. This growing body of research not only challenges our understanding of Mars but also enhances our search for extraterrestrial life.
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