Presence of Liquid Water Most Probable Explanation for Data Collected by Mars Lander
Researchers infer that stores of water must exist in planet’s crust
Mars InSight as seen in "selfie" taken by lander, Dec. 6, 2018. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Data about Mars’ planetary crust gathered from the Mars InSight lander are best explained by the conclusion that the crust has stores of liquid water.
Analysis led by Vashan Wright, a geophysicist at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, provides the best evidence to date that the planet still has liquid water in addition to that frozen at its poles. If that conclusion is true, it sets the stage for new research considering the planet’s habitability and continuing a search for life that exists on a place other than Earth. The potential presence of liquid water on Mars has tantalized scientists for decades. Water is essential for a habitable planet.
“Understanding the Martian water cycle is critical for understanding the evolution of the climate, surface, and interior,” Wright said. “A useful starting point is to identify where water is and how much is there.”
The study appears the week of Aug. 12 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the National Science Foundation and the US Office of Naval Research supported the work. Besides Wright, study authors are Matthias Morzfeld from Scripps Oceanography and Michael Manga from the University of California Berkeley.
Wright’s team used data that InSight collected during a four-year mission ending in 2022. The lander collected information from the ground directly beneath it on variables such as the speed of Marsquake waves from which scientists can infer what substances reside beneath the surface. The data were fed into a model informed by a mathematical theory of rock physics. From it, the researchers determined that the presence of liquid water in the crust most plausibly explained the data.
“While available data are best explained by a water-saturated mid-crust, our results highlight the value of geophysical measurements and better constraints on the mineralogy and composition of Mars’ crust,” the authors wrote.
About Scripps Oceanography
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego is one of the world’s most important centers for global earth science research and education. In its second century of discovery, Scripps scientists work to understand and protect the planet, and investigate our oceans, Earth, and atmosphere to find solutions to our greatest environmental challenges. Scripps offers unparalleled education and training for the next generation of scientific and environmental leaders through its undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs. The institution also operates a fleet of four oceanographic research vessels, and is home to Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the public exploration center that welcomes 500,000 visitors each year.
About UC San Diego
At the University of California San Diego, we embrace a culture of exploration and experimentation. Established in 1960, UC San Diego has been shaped by exceptional scholars who aren’t afraid to look deeper, challenge expectations and redefine conventional wisdom. As one of the top 15 research universities in the world, we are driving innovation and change to advance society, propel economic growth and make our world a better place. Learn more at ucsd.edu.
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