Data from China’s Mars rover Zhurong has unveiled compelling new evidence suggesting the Red Planet was once home to an ancient ocean, offering fresh insights into Mars’ geological history and its potential to have supported life.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday, the research combines in-situ data from Zhurong with remote sensing observations. The findings reveal features indicative of an ancient nearshore environment in Mars’ northern lowlands, particularly in the vast plain of Utopia Planitia where the rover landed in 2021.
Zhurong, part of China’s Tianwen-1 mission, has been exploring Martian geology since its arrival. Recent analyses suggest that significant flooding occurred on Utopia Planitia approximately 3.68 billion years ago. “The ocean surface was likely frozen for a geologically short period,” explained Bo Wu, a planetary scientist from Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The study details diverse marine landscape features in southern Utopia, identifying distinct zones such as a foreshore highland-lowland transition, a shallow marine area, and a deeper marine environment. These discoveries point to a complex evolution of Mars’ northern lowlands, with evidence that water reached these regions during the Late Noachian epoch.
Researchers estimate that this ocean disappeared around 3.42 billion years ago as Mars gradually transformed into the cold, dry landscape observed today. Co-author Sergey Krasilnikov noted, “The water was heavily silted, forming the layering structure of the deposits.”
The new evidence strengthens the hypothesis that Mars had vast bodies of water in its past, which has significant implications for the planet’s potential habitability. The findings contribute to our understanding of Martian history and aid future explorations in the quest to uncover signs of past life on Mars.
Reference(s):
China's Zhurong rover uncovers new evidence of ancient ocean on Mars
cgtn.com
