NASA ended the InSight lander mission more than a year ago, but the data it obtained, especially on seismic activity on Mars, may be the best evidence of the existence of liquid water on the Red Planet.
The InSight mission, which launched in 2018, aimed to explore the interior of Mars. Despite the end of the mission in December 2022, analysis of the data collected continues.
On August 12, 2024, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published a study in which a team of scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, led by geophysicist Vashan Wright, concluded the possible presence of liquid water in the Martian crust.
According to Wright, understanding the water cycle on Mars is key to studying the evolution of the planet’s climate and geology. The team analyzed marsquakes data and concluded that the speed of seismic wave propagation could indicate the presence of liquid water beneath the surface. While their findings are not yet definitive, the researchers emphasize the need for further study of Mars.
For decades, data has indicated that there is frozen water at the poles of Mars. However, if the water on Mars is salty, it can remain liquid even at low atmospheric pressure. In 2016, it was suggested that the dark stripes on the planet’s surface could be formed by flowing water.
If Wright’s team is right, it could support the theory that Mars was once suitable for microbial life. The presence of liquid water would also be a significant achievement for future manned missions to Mars. Further research will help to better understand this question and possibly reveal the mysteries of the Red Planet.
Earlier we reported on how the first plant to grow on Mars was selected.
According to Gizmodo
