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The researchers found evidence of an existing liquid water plan on Mars.
Scientists think that there could be 20 km the location of the lake under the southern polar cap of Mar.
Source: NASA / JPL / Malin Space Science Systems
What they consider to be a lake lies beneath the southern polar cap of the planet and extends about 20 km.
Previous research has been possible signs of intermittent liquid water flows on the Martian surface, but it is the first sign of a persistent water plan on our planet's planet. days
The lake beds like those explored by the NASA Curiosity rover show water on the surface March 1965
March
Photo: Provided thereafter, the climate of the planet has cooled due to its fine atmosphere, leaving most of its water locked in the ice. / NASA / JPL / Malin Space Science Systems
The result is exciting because scientists have long looked for signs of current liquid water on Mars, but these appeared empty or gave ambiguous results. It will also interest those who study life opportunities beyond the Earth – although this does not yet raise issues in the research of biology.
The discovery was made using Marsis, a radar instrument embarked on the Esa. "This is probably not a very big lake," said Professor Roberto Orosei, who led the study.
Marsis could not determine the thickness of the water layer, but the research team felt "This really corresponds to a water plan: a lake, not a kind of meltwater filling a space between rock and ice, as happens in some glaciers on Earth, "Prof. Orosei
Radar instruments like Marsis examine the surface and the immediate subsurface of the planet by sending a signal and examining what is bouncing.
The white line continues at the top of the above radar results marks the beginning of the South Polar Polarized Deposits there; Below, the researchers spotted something unusual at 1.5km under the ice
"In light blue, you can see where the reflections of the background are stronger than the reflection of the surface. is something that is for us the telling sign of the presence of water, "said Professor Orosei
What does this mean for life?
Nothing definite Still,
"We've known for a long time that the surface of Mars is inhospitable to life as we know it, so the search for life on Mars is now in the basement," says Manish Patel of the 39, Open University. "It is here that we get sufficient protection against harmful radiation and that pressure and temperature rise to more favorable levels, allowing above all the liquid water essential to the life. "
While the results suggest that water is present, they do not confit nothing more.
"We are no closer to detecting life," Dr. Patel told BBC News. this discovery gives us the place to look at Mars, it's like a treasure map – except in this case there will be a lot of X marking spots.
Temperature and water chemistry could also be a problem for any potential Martian organism.
In o To stay liquid in such cold conditions (the research team estimates between -10 ° C and -30 ° C that it meets the ice above), water probably has a lot of dissolved salts in it.
"It is plausible that water can be an extremely cold concentrated brine, which would be very difficult for life," said Claire Cousins, an astrobiologist at the University of St Andrews.
-BBC
