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Tengrinews.kz - Geophysicists from the University of California have discovered a giant ocean of liquid water hidden deep beneath Mars' surface. This groundbreaking finding was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The discovery is based on seismic data obtained from NASA's Mars Insight Lander. While frozen water has been detected at the Martian poles and traces of vapor in the atmosphere, liquid water has been found on Mars for the first time.
For four years, the seismometer on the lander recorded vibrations deep within the Red Planet. Over this period, it detected more than 1,319 earthquakes. By measuring the speed of seismic waves, scientists found water deposits between 10 and 20 kilometers deep in the Martian crust.
Researchers speculate that similar water reservoirs might exist across the planet. If true, Mars could have enough liquid water to form a layer approximately one kilometer thick.
However, current technology does not allow for the exploration of these vast water reserves beneath Mars' surface.
"Drilling a 10-kilometer deep well on Mars would be a challenge even for Elon Musk," said Professor Michael Manga from the University of California, Berkeley.
He added that the deep waters on Mars could potentially be habitable.
Mars' surface is covered with dried riverbeds, deltas, and lake beds, indicating once-abundant water resources. However, about 3.5 billion years ago, a dramatic climate change led to the loss of surface water.
The cause of this rapid desiccation remains unclear. The researchers noted that their discovery suggests water migrated into the planet's crust rather than evaporated into space.
