Mars was once warm and wet, confirm ancient lake sediments found by NASA rover
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is seen in a "selfie" that it took over a rock
NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered compelling evidence supporting the presence of ancient lake sediments formed by water within Mars' Jerezo Crater, a study published on Friday (Jan 26) revealed.
The Ground-penetrating radar observations by the robotic rover align with earlier orbital imagery, indicating that parts of Mars were once submerged in water, potentially fostering microbial life.
The research, led by teams from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Oslo, was published in the journal Science Advances.
With the rover's RIMFAX radar instrument, scientists probed underground layers up to 65 feet (20 meters) deep, unveiling sediment deposits resembling those in Earth's lakes.
What does it mean?
The development affirmed the past of Mars as a warmer, wetter environment.
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The sediments at Jerezo Crater, believed to have formed around 3 billion years ago, will be examined with closer observations once Perseverance collects samples for future transport to Earth.
The study's findings also complement earlier analyses of core samples that unexpectedly revealed volcanic rocks near the rover's landing site in February 2021.
Earlier in August 2022, researchers said that sedimentary deposits might have eroded over time.
The recent RIMFAX radar readings confirmed signs of erosion before and after the sedimentary layer formation.
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UCLA planetary scientist David Paige, the lead author of the study, expressed satisfaction with the discovery of lake sediments on the crater's delta.
"There were volcanic rocks that we landed on," Paige was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"The real news here is that now we've driven onto the delta and now we are seeing evidence of these lake sediments, which is one of the main reasons we came to this location. So that's a happy story in that respect."
(With inputs from agencies)