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More than a decade and a half ago, Mars Express embarked on a journey to unravel the secrets of the Martian surface, focusing on the enigmatic Medusae Fossae Formation (MFP).
This intriguing geological feature, initially studied for its extensive deposits, remains the subject of speculation and curiosity. But today, thanks to new research, the veil on the MFP is finally being lifted.
Deep water in Mars’ Medusae Fossae formation
Thomas Watters, of the Smithsonian Institution in the US and lead author of the original and recent studies, sheds light on these recent findings.
“We have re-explored the MFP using more recent data from The Mars Express MARSIS radarand we discovered that the deposits were even thicker than we thought: up to 3.7 km thick,” says Watters.
“Interestingly, the radar signals match what we would expect to see from ice sheets and are similar to the signals we see from the polar caps of Mars, which we know are very rich in ice.”
Enough water to fill Earth’s Red Sea
The implications of this discovery are profound. The ice within the Medusae Fossae Formation, if it melts, could envelop Mars in a layer of water measuring between 1.5 to 2.7 meters deep.
This represents the largest water reservoir discovered in this region of Mars, and contains enough water to rival the volume of Earth’s Red Sea.
The Medusae Fossae Formation itself is a geological wonder, stretching for hundreds of kilometers and rising to several kilometers in height.
It is located at the intersection of the high and low lands of Mars, a major potential source of Martian dust and one of the most extensive deposits on the planet.
Previous studies of the Medusae Fossae Formation
Initial observations from Mars Express hinted at the icy nature of the Medusae Fossae Formation due to its radar transparency and low density.
However, alternative theories proposed that the formation could be a colossal accumulation of dust, volcanic ash, or windblown sediment.
“This is where the new radar data comes into play! Given its depth, if the MFF were simply a giant pile of dust, we would expect it to compact under its own weight,” says study co-author Andrea Cicchetti. National Institute of Astrophysics, Italy.
“This would create something much denser than what we actually see with MARSIS. And when we modeled how different materials would behave without ice, nothing reproduced the properties of the MFF: we need ice.”
Rewriting Martian history
The current understanding of MFP region It suggests a composition of layers of dust and ice, topped by a protective layer of dry dust or ash, hundreds of meters thick.
Mars, although now appearing arid, shows signs of a water-rich past, including remains of river channels, ancient ocean floors, and water-carved valleys.
This discovery of a significant amount of ice near Mars’ equator, like that suspected beneath the surface of the MFF, points to a radically different climatic era in the planet’s history.
“This latest analysis challenges our understanding of the Medusae Fossae formation and raises as many questions as it answers,” said Colin Wilson, ESA project scientist for Mars Express and the ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO).
“How long ago did these ice deposits form and what was Mars like at that time? If confirmed to be water ice, these massive deposits would change our understanding of Mars’ climate history. Any ancient water deposit would be a fascinating target for human or robotic exploration.”
Implications for future Mars exploration
For future missions to Mars, the discovery of ice in equatorial locations such as the Medusae Fossae Formation is invaluable.
Missions require landing near the equator, far from polar caps or high-latitude glaciers, and water is a critical resource.
However, Wilson warns: “MFF deposits, buried under extensive layers of dust, remain out of reach for the time being. However, each discovery of Martian ice enriches our understanding of the planet’s hydrological history and the current distribution of water.”
Mars Express continues to map water ice deep below the surface, while the Mars orbiter TGO, equipped with the FREND instrument, examines indications of water near the surface.
FREND’s detection of a hydrogen-rich area, indicative of water ice, in Mars’ Valles Marineris in 2021, and ongoing mapping of shallow-water deposits, further complement this understanding.
Colin Wilson concludes: “Our collective Mars exploration efforts are progressively revealing the mysteries of our planetary neighbor, offering glimpses of its past and its potential for future exploration.”
Unraveling the secrets of Mars
In summary, the recent Mars Express findings of the Medusae Fossae Formation mark an important milestone in our understanding of Mars and its climatic history.
The discovery of extensive ice deposits, which challenge previous notions and reveal a potential trove of water resources, enriches our knowledge of the Red Planet and changes the prospects for future exploration.
These revelations bring us closer to unraveling Martian mysteries, offering a promising outlook for both scientific discovery and the prospects for human exploration.
As we continue to explore and analyze, each piece of information adds to the intricate mosaic of Mars’ past, presenting an ever-evolving narrative of this fascinating planetary neighbor.
History of water on Mars
This study was carried out by the European Space Agency.
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