3 craters discovered on Mars named after PRL scientist and two small towns in India

Three craters of Mars named "Lal," "Mursan," and "Hilsa"(Photo- :X/@PRLAhmedabad)

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, a unit of the Department of Space, Government of India, have identified three new craters on Mars. Located around 21.0°S, 209°W in the Tharsis volcanic region, these craters have been officially named by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature. The craters are named in honor of a former PRL Director and two small towns in India.

The craters have been named as follows:

Lal Crater: This approximately 65 km wide crater is centered at -20.98° and 209.34°. It is named after the renowned Indian geophysicist and former Director of PRL, Prof. Devendra Lal, who served as the director from 1972 to 1983.

Mursan Crater: This ~10 km wide crater is superimposed on the eastern side of the Lal Crater's rim. It is named after the town of Mursan in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Hilsa Crater: Similar in size to the Mursan Crater, this ~10 km wide crater is situated on the western side of the Lal Crater's rim. It is named after the town of Hilsa in Bihar, India.

Scientific Significance of Craters on Mars

The entire area of the Lal Crater in the Tharsis volcanic region is covered with lava. Geophysical evidence suggests the presence of materials other than lava, with a 45-meter thick sedimentary deposit detected in the subsurface of the crater using subsurface radar SHARAD/MRO. This discovery provides compelling evidence of significant water activity on Mars, indicating that water has moved large volumes of sediment into what is now known as the Lal Crater.

This finding confirms that Mars was once a wet planet, with water flowing across its surface. The presence of the two smaller superimposed craters, Mursan and Hilsa, on either side of Lal Crater, offers a timeline for the infilling process of the Lal Crater. The evidence suggests that this infilling has been episodic, providing further insight into the planet's geological history.