Image: European Space Agency (ESA)
Astronomers observed bright radar reflections at the planet’s south pole in 2018. At the time, these reflections were thought to point to subsurface liquid water.
But a new study from the University of Texas in the USA revealed that these radar reflections are likely a “mirage”.
The research team argues that the observed reflections are actually volcanic rocks buried under the ice.
“For the water to be this close to the surface, you need both a very salty environment and a powerful, locally produced heat source,” said planetary scientist Cyril Grima.
However, this is not in line with what we want. I know this area.
During the research, an imaginary ice sheet covering the entire planet was added to the radar map of Mars. That’s because the team wanted to know what geological features in other parts of the planet would look like on the radar under about a mile of ice.
After that, the same bright reflections as seen in 2018 appeared at many points at different latitudes of the Red Planet.
The team noticed that the spots where these reflections occur matched the locations of the volcanic plains.
This could mean that iron-rich lava flows form rocks with similar reflections that can be mistaken for water. However, this is not the only possible explanation for the reflections.
“Mines in dried river beds are another possibility,” Grima said:
“In either case, figuring out what those are could answer important questions about Mars’ history.”
Although the findings of the research, published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters, may seem disappointing, scientists are actually hopeful.
“There is no liquid water trapped under the south pole, but there is plenty of water ice on Mars, including the thick layer at the poles,” Grima said.
The new study points to Mars being wetter in the past.
Source: The Independent
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