Data from NASA’s InSight lander has revealed evidence of an underground reservoir of water deep beneath the surface of Mars, according to new research. The study found that there may be enough water trapped in tiny cracks and pores of rock in the Martian crust to fill oceans on the planet’s surface.
The data came from NASA’s InSight lander, which used a seismometer to study the interior of Mars from 2018 to 2022. Scientists believe that the underground water reservoir is likely a kind of deep underground mud.
The discovery adds a new piece to the Martian water puzzle and provides a window into the planet’s history. Understanding the water cycle on Mars can help researchers unlock the evolution of the planet.
While drilling holes just half a mile or deeper on Earth is a challenge that requires energy and infrastructure, sending seismometers to Mars in the future could provide more insights into the planet’s interior. The team was surprised not to find evidence suggesting a layer of frozen groundwater beneath Insight because that portion of the crust is cold. They are still trying to determine why there isn’t frozen groundwater at shallower depths above the mid- crust.
The study’s lead author, Michael Manga, said that while the analysis of the data can’t reveal any information about life, past or present, if it existed on Mars, the underground water reservoir could be habitable in the same way that deep groundwater on Earth is hospitable for microbial life.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/12/science/mars-crust-water-reservoir-insight/index.html