Last year, a scientific report stated that there was a hidden lake at the
south pole of Mars which was thought to have water in it. The researchers
said that after the discovery of the water radar signal they began
re-examining the surface on Mars that was previously covered by a layer of
ice.
However, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters on January 24,
2022 suggests that the radar signal suspected to be liquid may be volcanic
rock.
"We found that some of the existing volcanic-associated terrain can produce
very strong basalt signal analogues to what is observed at the South Pole,"
the researchers said.
At the time of reservoir detection in 2018, they said, radar signals found a
lake on Mars filled with water at a depth of 1.4 km beneath the ice sheet.
This condition is considered to indicate a pool of water under the Red
Planet's soil.
Then, during a subsequent search, the team found a shiny reflective patch
that revealed the entire network of underground lakes on Mars. On Earth,
underground water is a place where we can find microbial life that depends
on chemical reactions to survive.
Researchers reveal if there is life on Mars, then the same conditions as on
Earth may be found on this Red Planet.
However, the temperature on Mars is too cold for a liquid like water. "For
water to stay this close to the surface, it would require a very salty
environment and a strong source of heat, but that doesn't match what we know
about this place," said University of Texas Institute for Geophysics
scientist Cyril Grima.
The second report, analyzing preliminary data, found that frozen clay can
produce a reflectivity or ability to reflect signals similar to those
detected by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding
(MARSIS) device used by the European Space Agency's Mars Express. Grima
admitted, his team used a different approach to research lakes on Mars.
They laid a special layer of ice all over Mars' radar sphere, including a
three-year MARSIS dataset showing the red planet's sightings 1.4 kilometers
away in frozen water.
Then, the research team looked for reflective patches similar to those
originally thought, namely water on Mars. By mapping these patches against
previously known Martian geology, the pattern closely matches the volcanic
terrain.
Meanwhile, Mars has also been known to be rich in abundant volcanic rocks
and iron content on its surface.
Related to this, the researchers note future missions will help them to
understand more about this ice sheet.
In addition, these findings also add insight for humans to know the history
of water on the planet Mars.
"I think Grima's findings also tell us to look for evidence of ancient lakes
and riverbeds and test hypotheses about the more extensive drying of the
Martian climate over billions of years," said Ian Smith, a scientist from
York University in Canada.
Now, the two scientists are working on a mission proposal to use radar-based
imaging to try to find water on Mars, to learn more about the planet.
"Science is not easy on the first try.
Especially in planetary science where we see places no one has ever been and
rely on devices that observe everything from a distance," said Smith.
