New research suggests Mars may have vast reserves of water trapped beneath its surface, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
The research, spearheaded by Vashan Wright from the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, claims Mars potentially has enough water to form a global ocean, according to AP. This discovery, derived from data collected by NASA‘s InSight lander, points to significant quantities of underground water located seven to twelve miles deep in the Martian crust.
Mars may be drenched beneath its surface, with enough water hiding in the cracks of underground rocks to form a global ocean, new research suggests. https://t.co/lRduf99rr2
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 12, 2024
The presence of this water, thought to have migrated from the surface billions of years ago when Mars featured rivers, lakes and possibly oceans, does not necessarily imply life exists on Mars. However, Wright suggests these findings indicate environments that could be habitable, the outlet reported. To arrive at this conclusion, Wright and his team utilized computer models alongside seismic data from over 1,300 detected marsquakes, analyzing their velocity to determine underground water was the most plausible explanation.
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JEZERO CRATER, MARS – FEBRUARY 18: In this handout image provided by NASA, still image is part of a video taken by several cameras aboard the descent stage as NASA’s Perseverance rover as it touched down in the area known as Jezero crater on February 18, 2021 on the planet Mars. (Photo by NASA via Getty Images)
If the conditions at InSight’s location in Elysium Planitia are indicative of Mars as a whole, the underground reserves could fill a global ocean between one to two kilometers deep, AP reported. While the InSight lander has ceased operations, the analysis of its data from 2018 to 2022 continues, providing valuable insights into the Martian subsurface. (RELATED: Video Describes How NASA Digitally Altered Images Of Mars Before Releasing Them To The Public)
Exploring these water reserves and checking for signs of microbial life would require advanced drilling technology, suggesting a new frontier in Martian exploration and the ongoing quest to understand more about the planet’s geological history and potential for life, according to AP.