Liquid Water May Have Been Found on Mars
A strong possibility which infers the existence of liquid water on Mars has been found by Italian scientists. An apparent water reservoir has been detected under south pole by the radar of the European Space Agency Mars Express satellite.
Previous photographic evidence of Mars offered a view into a desert-like world, devoid of any life and covered in dust. Water does exist in the form of ice present in each of the planet’s poles in both water ie and dry ice but no solid proof of liquid water was recorded until now. The data published in the Science journal suggest that it does indeed exist.
Situated in a region called Planum Australe, at around 1, 5 kilometers under the south pole there is a lake or something similar, spanning for over 20 kilometers. The scientists believe it is liquid water, although they are not 100% sure. The debate about the existence of liquid water on Mars gained popularity in 2015 when American scientists said they fund flowing water on the planet after observing seasonal dark streaks on the surface, based on images sent by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The result has been compared by one source to with similar lakes on Earth, and should the lake be real, it would be on par with Lake Vostok, the Earth’s largest subglacial lake, found in Canada. This would mean that life may exist, in aquatic form.
The research for the project started with the Mars Express satellite first reached the planet in 2003. Using the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding, first hints of a liquid reservoir were detected in 2008. It would take over a decade of advanced research and data comparison to reach the conclusions presented in the journal. While it is only one source of evidence, the theory seems encouraging and further analysis will reveal if the lake is, in fact, real in the future.
As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.
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