Mars possesses a water reservoir that extends two miles in depth, sufficient to fill the Red Sea of Earth. The accompanying visual representation illustrates the potential appearance of a terraformed Mars. Is there water ice buried at the equator of Mars?

Mars possesses a water reservoir that extends two miles in depth, sufficient to fill the Red Sea of Earth. The accompanying visual representation illustrates the potential appearance of a terraformed Mars. Is there water ice buried at the equator of Mars?

Location of Mars’s Medusae Fossae Formation Credit: ESA

 

Mars possesses a water reservoir that is two miles deep, which is sufficient to fill Earth's Red Sea. The accompanying image provides a depiction of what a terraformed Mars could potentially look like.

 

More than fifteen years ago, the Mars Express embarked on a mission to uncover the mysteries of the Martian surface, with a particular focus on the enigmatic Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF).

 

This fascinating geological structure has continued to arouse wonder and conjecture despite being first investigated for its vast deposits. But the mystery around the MFF is now being removed, owing to new study.

 

These new results are clarified by Thomas Watters, the principal author of the Smithsonian Institution in the USA research that were the subject of the original and the more current ones.

 

"We have revisited the MFF using newer data from Mars Express's MARSIS radar and have discovered that the deposits are even thicker than we had previously thought: up to 3.7 km thick," Watters adds.

"Excitingly, the radar signals align with what we would expect to observe from layered ice and are similar to the signals we observe from Mars's polar caps, which we know to be rich in ice."

 

The implications of this discovery are profound. If the ice within the Medusae Fossae Formation were to melt, it could result in Mars being enveloped in a water layer measuring between 1.5 to 2.7 meters deep.

 

This represents the largest water reservoir ever discovered in this particular region of Mars, containing enough water to rival the volume of Earth's Red Sea.

 

The Medusae Fossae Formation itself is a geological marvel, stretching across hundreds of kilometers and rising several kilometers in height.

 

It is situated at the intersection of Mars's highlands and lowlands, potentially serving as a significant source of Martian dust and being one of the planet's most extensive deposits.

 

Previous studies of the Medusae Fossae Formation conducted by Mars Express hinted at its icy nature due to its radar transparency and low density.

 

However, alternative theories suggested that the formation could be an enormous accumulation of windblown dust.

 

Co-author Andrea Cicchetti of the National Institute for Astrophysics, Italy, explains the significance of the new radar data. With its considerable depth, the MFF would naturally undergo compaction if it were merely a massive accumulation of dust.

The outcome of this would result in a substance that is significantly more compact than what is currently observed with MARSIS. Upon conducting simulations to assess the behavior of various materials devoid of ice, none of them exhibited the characteristics of the MFF. It is evident that ice is an essential component in reproducing these properties.

The current knowledge about the MFF region indicates that it consists of layers of dust and ice, with a thick protective layer of dry dust or ash on top, measuring hundreds of meters in thickness.

Although Mars appears dry at present, there are indications of a past abundant in water, such as remnants of river channels, ancient ocean beds, and valleys carved by water.

The discovery of significant ice near Mars's equator, similar to what is suspected beneath the surface of the MFF, suggests a completely different climatic era in the planet's history.

Colin Wilson, the ESA project scientist for Mars Express and the ESA ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), states, "This latest analysis challenges our understanding of the Medusae Fossae Formation, and raises as many questions as answers. How long ago did these ice deposits form, and what was Mars like at that time? If confirmed to be water ice, these massive deposits would change our understanding of Mars' climate history. Any reservoir of ancient water would be an intriguing target for human or robotic exploration."

Credits: The provided map illustrates the approximate quantity of ice contained within the formations of the MFF, revealing that the deposits rich in ice can reach a thickness of 3000 m. The credit for this map goes to the Planetary Science Institute/Smithsonian Institution.

Implications for the future exploration of Mars

 

The discovery of ice at equatorial locations like the Medusae Fossae Formation holds immense value for future Mars missions. In order to ensure the success of these missions, it is crucial to land near the equator, avoiding the polar caps or high-latitude glaciers, as water is an essential resource.

 

However, it is important to note that the MFF deposits, which are buried under layers of dust, are currently inaccessible. Nevertheless, each new finding of Martian ice contributes significantly to our understanding of the planet's hydrological history and the distribution of water in the present.

Credits images: View of the MFF from Mars Express’s High-Resolution Stereo Camera/ESA

 

The Mars Express mission continues to map water ice that lies deep beneath the surface, while the Mars orbiter TGO, equipped with the FREND instrument, is actively surveying near-surface water indications. In 2021, FREND detected a hydrogen-rich area in Mars's Valles Marineris, suggesting the presence of water ice. Additionally, ongoing mapping of shallow water deposits further enhances our understanding in this regard.

 

In conclusion, Colin Wilson emphasizes that our collective efforts in exploring Mars are gradually unraveling the mysteries of our neighboring planet. These endeavors provide us with glimpses into its past and offer great potential for future exploration.