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NASA’s Mars rover discovered traces of a large lake and river delta on the red planet

  • January 28, 2024
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The Jezero crater on the northern part of Mars, formed by the impact of an asteroid, once contained a large lake and a river delta; This gives hope

The Jezero crater on the northern part of Mars, formed by the impact of an asteroid, once contained a large lake and a river delta; This gives hope for discovering traces of life in the dead.

This was confirmed by NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover using a special radar, Ukrinform reported with reference to Science Daily.

Sediment accumulation and erosion inside the crater over centuries have created the geological formations that can be seen on the surface today. The discovery of lake sediments raises hopes that traces of life may be found in soil and rock samples collected by the rover.

A related study published in the journal Science Advances by a team of scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Oslo shows that the crater filled with water at one point. Over time, the lake shrank and the sediments accumulated by the river feeding it formed a huge delta.

Carrying seven science instruments, the car-sized rover will explore the 50km-wide crater, study the geology and atmosphere, and collect samples from 2021.

Soil and rock samples will be sent to Earth and examined for signs of past life.

Perseverance moved from the crater floor to the delta from May to December 2022.

Once the rover entered the delta, the radar scanner used radar waves to examine deposits at depths of about 20 meters below the surface.

With the help of radar, scientists have the opportunity to see the ancient surface of the crater’s floor, buried under sediment.

Previous studies had assumed the presence of lake sediments, but the rover confirmed their existence.

Photo: NASA

Source: Ukrinform

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