JAKARTA – Peta The recently released topography reveals the latest evidence, in which the ancient northern ocean looks to Mars. From the existence of this discovery, the old debate over whether the planet Mars has a sea has re-emerged.
Reporting from Phys, on Saturday (11/05/2022), the map revealed that the red planet had experienced a sea level rise consistent with a hot and humid climate, not an icy and dry landscape as is the case today.
Evidence of this find, identified through satellite images of the surface of Mars. When these images are captured from different angles, a relief map of the surface of Mars is created.
“What immediately comes to mind is more significant that the existence of an ocean of this size means greater potential for life,” said Benjamin Cardenas, lead author of the study recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.
With this discovery, we learn about ancient climates and their evolution. There must have been a time when the temperatures were warm enough and the atmosphere was dense enough to support so much liquid water at one time.
Previously, there was a debate in the scientific community as to whether Mars had low-lying oceans in the Northern Hemisphere.
Using the topographical data obtained, the research team was able to show definitive evidence for a 3.5 billion-year-old coastline.
With a consistent accumulation of sediments, at least 900 meters thick, covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers. It appears to be carved by a river, indicating that it is most likely an eroded river delta or canal belt carved into the sea floor.
“On Earth we map the history of watercourses by observing the sediments that have deposited over time, the so-called stratigraphy. We also use this method on Mars, ”Cardenas explained.
Researchers see many signs that water may have been abundant on Mars. Consequently, research is still ongoing to obtain more information on the origin of water and its causes.
Therefore, to discover the existence of life on Mars, that is, the traces of the oceans present on Mars, the team used software developed by the United States Geological Survey to map data from NASA and the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter.
(amj)
