China’s Zhurong rover has found evidence of liquid water on Mars at present, according to a team that reviewed data from the rover’s cameras.
To be clear, the team claims to have collected certificate of liquid water on Mars – not liquid water itself. Water was once abundant on Mars. NASA, the European Space Agency, and others have found A large number of evidence of the presence of ancient water on the planet; It proves that the recent existence of water is more difficult.
the (currently disabled) The Jurong rover is on the southern edge of Utopia Planitia, a vast chain of volcanic plains on Mars. hiker I landed there in May 2021. The team of researchers recently used three of the rover’s instruments – two of its cameras and the Surface Composition Detector (MarSCoDe) to analyze the composition of sand dunes in the immediate vicinity of the rover’s landing site. their research published Today in Science Advances.
“According to the meteorological data measured by Zhurong and other Mars rover, we concluded that these dune surface properties are related to the involvement of liquid brine formed from subsequent melting of frost/snow falling on the salt-containing dune surfaces when cooling occurs,” said Chen Xiaoguang, a geophysicist at the Academy. Chinese Sciences, in an academy launch.
Mars’ atmosphere is only 1% denser than Earth’s, making it difficult for liquid water to exist on Mars today. But frozen water sown regularly, in the form of Potential lakes below the surface and even Visualize glaciers on the surface of the planet.
The researchers found that the dunes, which dated between 400,000 and 1.4 million years ago, were rich in hydrated sulfates and may contain chlorides. “This is important for understanding the evolutionary history of the Martian climate, for the search for a habitable environment, and for providing key clues for the future search for life,” Chen said.
Based on the age of the dunes, they may have been wet when water vapor moved from the planet’s polar ice cap to the equator, making the planet’s lower latitudes wetter. Like the discovery of the remains of glaciers on Mars, these findings reinforce humanity’s hopes for water’s ability to persist near Mars’ relatively temperate equator, where it is located. It will be the headquarters of potential human missions.
The results came amid dark times for Zurong. earlier this weekThe chief designer of China’s Mars Exploration Program told state media that Zhurong’s team has not had any contact with the rover since it went into hibernation in May 2022.
hiker He went to sleep to endure the cold Martian winter, but the solar panels weren’t getting enough sunlight to restart operations. Dust may have accumulated on the solar panels, reducing the amount of sunlight the rover can convert into power. This was The phenomenon that wiped out NASA’s InSight landerwhich was virtually choked by dust; This mission officially ended in December.
It remains to be seen if Zhurong emerges from his long slumber, but he at least managed some valuable scientific observations before closing his robotic eyes.
More: A new map of Mars shows where it was once covered in water
(Tags to translation) Rover