LOS ANGELES: Groundbreaking findings from
NASA
's
Perseverance
rover have confirmed the existence of ancient lake sediments in the Jerezo Crater on
Mars
, indicating that the Red Planet once hosted significant bodies of water. This discovery, published in Science Advances, reinforces theories of a potentially habitable ancient Mars.
The research, spearheaded by teams from UCLA and the University of Oslo, utilized the rover's ground-penetrating radar, RIMFAX, to capture subsurface scans revealing rock layers up to 65 feet deep. These findings were gathered throughout 2022 as Perseverance traversed the Martian terrain from the crater floor to an area resembling Earth's river deltas.
"The radar data provides a cross-sectional view of Martian geology, almost like looking at a road cut," explained UCLA planetary scientist David
Paige
, the lead author of the study. The layers showed clear evidence of soil sediments deposited by water, akin to sedimentation processes in Earth's lakes.
This discovery marks a significant milestone in the understanding of Mars' past climate and topography. It suggests that the planet, now cold and arid, was once warm and wet, potentially supporting microbial life.
Perseverance's journey also revealed an unexpected geological diversity. Initial core samples drilled near the rover's landing site in February 2021 indicated volcanic rock rather than the anticipated sedimentary type. However, these volcanic rocks showed signs of water exposure, suggesting a complex geological history including erosion and sedimentation, as revealed by the latest RIMFAX data.
The rover's findings at Jerezo Crater, dating back approximately 3 billion years, are a crucial piece in unraveling Mars' environmental evolution. Samples collected by Perseverance from these sedimentary layers are slated for future transport to Earth for detailed analysis.
"The real news here is that we've now driven onto the delta and are seeing evidence of these ancient lake sediments," said Paige. "This aligns with one of the main reasons for choosing this landing site. It's a happy story in that respect."
The latest discoveries from Perseverance not only validate the selection of the Jerezo Crater for exploration but also open new chapters in understanding Mars' capability to support life in its distant past.
English (US) ·