Mars coastline spotted
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Chinese researchers have found possible evidence of a short-lived ancient ocean on Mars.
China’s Zhurong Mars rover has been analysing deposits on the surface of Mars in the Vastitas Borealis, a low-lying plain in the planet’s Northern hemisphere, since its landing in May 2021.
Previous research has suggested that materials in this region may have originated from flooding and marine sediments, with a fine grain size more consistent with this environment than material from volcanic activity.
Now, new findings suggest the presence of features consistent with a coastline in the southern Utopia region and provide further evidence for the existence of a short-lived ocean early in the planet’s history.
Researcher Bo Wu and colleagues analysed data retrieved from the orbiter and by the Zhurong rover to identify distinct geomorphological features such as troughs and sediment channels consistent with a nearshore (coastal) zone, suggesting a possible formation event involving flooding approximately 3.68 billion years ago.
In this scenario, a short-lived frozen ocean formed a coastline, with the ocean surface likely freezing and disappearing approximately 3.42 billion years ago.
The in situ measurements from the Zhurong rover do not provide direct evidence for the existence of an ancient ocean, but the finding that southern Utopia Planitia possibly hosted a significant body of water adds to the understanding of the evolution of the Martian climate.
The study suggests potential landing sites for future missions to investigate the possible existence of ancient water reservoirs and their role in shaping Mars’s geology.
The research paper is accessible here.
