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Verification of the existence of an underground lake, liquid and salty in March under a layer of ice, increases the chances of finding life on the red planet, according to the scientists, who pointed out that this may be one of the scientific discoveries of the year.
Italian researchers announced today that for the first time there was evidence of the presence of liquid water, in addition to salt, in a subterranean lake March a layer of ice, thanks to the results of the radar installed in the probe Mars Express of the European Space Agency (ESA).
The important discovery concludes that in an area called Plamun Australe located on the ice cap at the south pole of Mars, the profile drawn by the radar is very similar to that of the large lakes of water liquid found under Antarctica and Greenland on Earth.
For Alberto González Fairén, del Astrobiology (CAB) in Madrid, it is "the scientific discovery of the year" and the discovery of this liquid water makes it much more possible there is life in March ", an opinion that José shared Antonio Rodríguez Manfredi, also from CAB:" This increases the chances of finding life; previously, he was suspected, but there was no empirical evidence. "
For González Fairén, with this discovery and with the discovery of organic compounds made by the rover Curiosity a month ago," now we know that Mars has the basic ingredients of which all beings are constituted: liquid water and organic compounds. "
This scientist has indicated that, in any case, it is possible that what Mars Express has detected is not a lake in the strict sense of the term." Is a mass of clean water, as subantarctic lakes, but only saturated sediments of water, that is, very wet mud
This would not, however, diminish the importance of discovery: l & # 39; Liquid water, even tiny droplets, is an ideal habitat for microorganisms.
This is a first result, says a researcher from CAB – Center for the Higher Council of Research. and the National Institute of Aerospace Technology, who commented that "there could be other areas on Mars with underground lakes, even more accessible areas for our robots (the poles are hard to reach) "
both, look for evidence of life or its remains below the surface" is the hain undisputed objective in the exploration of March "
In this regard, he explains that the next two rovers that will be sent to the Red Planet in 2020 ( ExoMars of ESA and March2020 of NASA) share this priority goal: "This is an extraordinary moment Aryan in the planetary exploration. "
The astronomer and director of the Pamplona Planetarium, Javier Armentia, agreed that it is one of the" relevant "discoveries of March and of the year, and said that the radar ] MARSIS installed in the Mars Express probe confirmed that there is a phenomenon that occurs on Earth, that in the great masses of ice there are lakes.
"The detection with this radar is quite reliable and if there is water at the kilometer and a peak under the ice, it means that the mechanisms are there and are possible. Can living conditions then be given? Now it is legitimate to ask him, "he added.
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