China’s Zhurong rover adds an exciting twist to the history and history of water on Mars. After touching down on the southern part of Mars’ Utopia Planitia in May 2021, the defunct Zhurong rover has begun exploring the Martian surface, and its latest discoveries could change our understanding of the Red Planet. Bo Wu and a team of researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University believe they have found convincing evidence that the huge body of water that once covered the plains of northern Mars was oceanic.

What is Zhurong traveler?

The Zhurong rover became the first Chinese rover to successfully land on Mars in May 2021 as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. Weighing about 240 kilograms (530 pounds) (about the size of a small car), Zhurong is equipped with scientific instruments, including navigation and topographic cameras, a multispectral camera for analyzing surface materials, and a ground-penetrating radar capable of measuring up to 100 meters. meters below the surface.

These devices allow Zhurong to obtain detailed images, study the composition of rocks and soil, and explore the planet’s underground structures. What makes Zhurong stand out is its ability to study Mars both above and below ground. Ground-penetrating radar is particularly exciting because it helps scientists look for signs of water ice and understand geological layers hidden beneath the surface. The rover also has instruments to study Mars’ magnetic field and atmospheric conditions, providing valuable data for our understanding of the planet’s climate and habitability potential.

Zhurong sees water-related features on Mars

Scientists have speculated for years about the possibility of a vast ocean on Mars, especially during the Hesperian period about 3.7 billion years ago. But concrete evidence was difficult to find. Using a combination of Zhurong’s onboard cameras and ground-penetrating radar, as well as remote sensing data from orbiting satellites, the team identified several interesting water features around the rover’s landing zone.

Jurong has traveled about 2 miles since landing and examined the surrounding geology for signs of water or ice.

Notable features include crater-like pitted cones, pits, sediment channels, and mud volcano formations. If this looks like beach debris, you’re on to something. According to Bo Wu and colleagues, these formations are consistent with what you might expect to find in a coastal area, assuming the area was once a coastline.

Dating the Martian Ocean

Based on the composition of surface sediments, the team believes the ocean probably existed about 3.68 billion years ago.

“The water was densely covered with silt, forming a layered structure of sediments,” study co-author Sergey Krasilnikov of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University told Reuters.

This silt-laden water may have formed distinct sedimentary layers similar to those found on Earth’s ancient seafloor.

Interestingly, the researchers suggest that after the ocean formed, it froze for about 10,000 to 100,000 years, or just a moment in geological terms. This freezing period shaped the coastline features seen today before the ocean finally dried out approximately 260 million years later. Imagine a vast, frozen ocean sitting silently on Mars, waiting for its turn to disappear.

Not everyone agrees

Billions of years of erosion have likely erased such delicate features, says Benjamin Cárdenas of Pennsylvania State University. This is a legitimate concern; Mars is not a place to keep things forever. Wu acknowledges this skepticism, but suggests that asteroid impacts may have resurfaced part of the coastline, making them visible today.

Implications for Martian life

So what does all this mean in the grand scheme of things? The existence of an ancient ocean has profound implications for our understanding of Mars. Water is an essential component of life as we know it. If Mars had oceans, could there be life on it? This tempting thought keeps scientists awake at night. The discovery by NASA’s Insight lander that significant amounts of water has seeped into the crust of Mars further adds to the mystery.

“We have identified a site that could, at least in principle, support life,” Michael Manga of the University of California, Berkeley, one of the study’s authors, said in an earlier statement. This groundwater can provide a stable environment for life to thrive.

What’s next for Zhurong and water on Mars?

But the main point is this: To get definitive answers, we need to send Mars samples to Earth for detailed analysis. China’s Tianwen 3 Mars sample return mission aims to do just that by 2031, potentially outpacing NASA’s own sample return mission.

If all goes as planned, pieces of Mars will be right here on Earth in less than a decade. While we await these missions, Zhurong continues to send back valuable data, bringing us closer to understanding the red planet’s water history. Could Mars have been teeming with life billions of years ago? That’s the million dollar question. Only time and more research will tell. The full text of the research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.