Mars May Have Remained Habitable Longer Than Previously Thought, New Research Suggests
Recent research published in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Planets indicates that Mars may have retained habitable conditions for a significantly longer period than previously understood. The study, leveraging data from NASA’s Curiosity rover, focuses on the Gale crater and suggests the persistence of liquid water beneath the Martian surface for billions of years, potentially supporting microbial life.
The research, led by dimitra Atri, principal Investigator at NYUAD’s Center for astrophysics and Space Science, centers on the Stimson Formation within the Gale Crater – ancient sand formations now solidified into rock. The team’s analysis indicates these formations were created through late-stage interactions with groundwater, implying intermittent periods of liquid water existed on Mars for a more extended timeframe than previously believed.
Traditionally, scientists believed Mars’ surface water largely disappeared around 3.7 billion years ago due to atmospheric stripping by solar wind. However, this new study proposes a more nuanced history. While global oceans may have diminished, certain regions like the Gale Crater appear to have continued supporting liquid water for a considerable duration.
Specifically, the research team found evidence that sand dunes within the Gale Crater underwent lithification – the process of turning into rock – due to interaction with groundwater over millions of years. This suggests stable pockets of water could have existed deep underground long after surface conditions became inhospitable. The planet’s climate likely fluctuated, experiencing multiple wet and dry cycles, making understanding these periods crucial for determining the potential for past life on Mars.
To interpret the Martian data,researchers drew parallels to desert environments on Earth,notably in the United Arab Emirates.These terrestrial analogues exhibit similarly lithified sand dunes formed in the presence of water, providing a comparative framework for understanding the Martian processes. The presence of minerals like gypsum, commonly found in water-rich environments on Earth, within the Martian formations further supports the hypothesis of prolonged groundwater interaction. This approach of utilizing Earth-based analogues is increasingly common in planetary science for interpreting data from other planets.
[Image of the surface of Mars, credited to New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD)]
This research contributes to a growing understanding of Mars’ complex geological history and expands the potential timeframe for habitability on the red planet.
