Under the Marsboden: References to hidden water resources discovered

Under the Marsboden: References to hidden water resources discovered

Mars, which has housed a lot of water in the past, could contain rich underground water resources. This discovery arouses interest in researchers and could be crucial for future missions on the red planet.

The important role of water for life

The past of Mars is shaped by water. The surface of the planet of deep oceans and rivers was crossed over three billion years ago. Today, however, the picture is very different; The atmosphere of Mars has largely been lost, and the water seems to be gone. Scientists suspect that a large part of the water could be pubed in the deeper layers of rock, which raises new questions about the possibility of life on Mars.

New research results from San Diego

A team under the direction of Vashan Wright at the University of California in San Diego has gained extensive knowledge of the water underground by analyzing data from the Marssonde "Insight". The data date from the period from 2018 to 2022, in which “Insight” examined seismic activities of Mars and examined deeper layers of rock. According to the researchers, the water, which is located in rock layers at a depth of 10 to 20 kilometers, could theoretically be sufficient to form one or two kilometers deep ocean on the entire Mars.

Challenges for future colonists

Despite this promising discovery, there are important challenges for future Mars colonists. The water is not only at great depth, but is also difficult to access in the form of bound water within pores and cracks of the rock. This does not enable an easy use of water resources for human settlements.

Effects on the search for life-friendly conditions

However, the discovery of water resources is not without meaning. The underground water could provide evidence that there are microbes in the Mars floor that can survive in such extreme conditions. Wright's colleague, Michael Manga, emphasizes the importance of water for life as we know it, and sees a promising goal for the search for microbial life on the neighboring planet.

Looking into the future of Marsforschung

Research on the underground water reserves on Mars could have far-reaching consequences for future Mars missions. This discovery could not only support basic research on the history of Mars, but also expand the perspectives for the development and possible settlement of the planet. Understanding where water is on Mars could be crucial for how we explore the red planet in the coming decades and possibly also colonize.