New research suggests that Mars could have an ocean’s worth of water beneath its surface, according to seismic data collected by NASA’s InSight lander. Seismic readings indicate large quantities of water buried 6 to 12 miles underground.
Researchers Ikuo Katayama and Yuya Akamatsu found supporting evidence for liquid water deep inside Mars using the SEIS instrument on the InSight mission. They analyzed seismic waves detected during marsquakes, focusing on subterranean P-waves and S-waves that reveal the density and composition of underground media.
The study suggests that there is water in porous rock between 6 and 12 miles deep, filling cracks and hollows. The researchers tested their hypothesis using diabase rocks from Sweden, which returned similar seismic signatures as SEIS detected on Mars.
Previous studies estimated that there could be enough water to cover the surface in a global ocean between 0.62 to 1.24 miles deep. If confirmed, this would suggest the presence of microbial activity and raise new possibilities for life on Mars.
However, current technology is not capable of reaching the water or potential life beneath the surface. The mystery of Mars’ subsurface remains for now until we can develop the necessary tools to explore it further.
Source: https://www.space.com/the-universe/mars/mars-could-have-an-oceans-worth-of-water-beneath-its-surface-seismic-data-suggest