What if Mars is not just concealing red dust? A new study brings hope to those who continue to look for signs of life. New studies now indicate that a huge volume of liquid water could be trapped deep under the Martian surface, enough to coat the entire world in a global ocean.
Released in National Science Review on April 25, the study identifies a potential layer of liquid water between 5.4 and 8 kilometers beneath the surface of Mars. Researchers measured seismic data taken by NASA's InSight lander since 2018 that has recorded marsquakes. The seismic waves seemed to decelerate at a depth, suggesting a porous rock saturated with water — like a sponge or aquifer on Earth.
The research calculates that this so-called hidden water might flood Mars with a worldwide ocean as much as 520 to 780 meters deep. That's a volume equivalent to what is stored in the ice sheet on Antarctica. For many years, researchers have grappled with where all of Mars' ancient water disappeared. Now, this latest research gives them one potential solution — it was perhaps stuck in the ground the whole time.
Billions of years ago, Mars was more waterworld in nature. Mars boasted flowing rivers, lakebeds, and water-shaped sedimentary layers. However, it lost its magnetic field over the passage of time, and so the solar radiation was able to strip off the atmosphere. Once surface temperatures chilled, water fled into space or froze underground. Some formed ice at the poles, and some combined with crustal minerals. Nevertheless, these theories didn't leave room for all of Mars' water. Plenty was still unaccounted for — until today.
Professor Hrvoje Tkal ić at the Australian National University directed the study together with Professor Weijia Sun from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. They both think that the sluggish seismic waves are brought about by water within permeable rocks. In an article published at The Conversation, they likened it to the aquifers of the Earth, where the groundwater fills the cracks and pores far below ground level.
The results also confirm previous estimates of the amount of water missing on Mars. Previous research had indicated frozen water may be deeper, ranging from 11 to 21 kilometers below the surface. But this is the first time scientists have evidence that at least some of it could exist in liquid form much nearer the surface.
The detection of liquid water is a significant leap closer to the existence of extraterrestrial life. Life as we know it exists not without water. If Mars retains liquid water reserves, then it will also be able to retain places where life previously existed — or even continues to exist. But researchers say they won't know for sure until missions can drill deeper and verify the discovery.
"Future missions carrying seismometers and drills are required to verify the existence of the water at such depths and obtain more information," Professor Tkalčić explained.
The Red Planet retains its mystery for the time being — but hope for water, and even life, continues to flow deep below its dusty surface.
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