Is There Really a Lake on Mars?
Researchers say they have discovered a vast waterway just underneath the surface, bringing up issues about the potential life that could happen there. At first glance, Mars is a place of destruction. A desolate land unaltered for hundreds of millions of years, unmoving aside from the diffusing of the fine residue by a faint breeze, or the moderate slither of a rover.
Be that as it may, maybe just underneath the Martian soil, the situation is altogether different.
The new proof shows the existence of a lake one mile underneath the ice-covered surface of Mars’ south pole, as indicated by new research published on Wednesday in Science. Researchers say the lake extends 20 kilometers (or around 12 miles) across and is one meter (more than 3 feet) in depth. The discoveries, if affirmed, would stamp the recognition of the biggest body of liquid water on Mars.
The information originates from Mars Express, a European rocket that has been orbiting Mars for a long time. While a high-resolution camera took staggering pictures of the surface, a radar instrument tested what was concealed underground.
What does MARSIS do?
This instrument, which is called the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS for short) emits radio waves toward the planet.
The waves infiltrate the Martian surface, which is for the most part rock, aside from thick ice at the poles and ricochet whatever material they interact with, and then they reflect back to the rocket. MARSIS measures the echoes of the radio waves, which researchers would then be able to use to decode the structure of the subsurface.
On Earth, researchers utilize a similar method to distinguish subglacial lakes and different waterways underneath the thick, Antarctic ice sheets.
Beginning in the May of 2012, MARSIS put in over three years beeping a locale at Mars’ south pole with radio waves, delivering a grainy picture of the scene from underneath.
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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