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TAMPA (AFP) – A huge underground lake was detected for the first time on Mars, suggesting that there is more water – and perhaps even life – have declared international astronomers Wednesday, July 25.
Located under a layer of Martian ice, the lake is about 20 km wide, according to the report conducted by Italian researchers in the American journal Science
It is the largest plan of Liquid water ever found on the red planet. This is an amazing result that suggests that water on Mars is not a temporary net as previous discoveries, but a persistent water mass that provides living conditions for long periods of time. periods, "said Alan Duffy, associate professor at the University of Swinburne in Australia. who was not involved in the study.
Mars is now cold, barren and dry, but it was hot and humid. There was at least 3.6 billion years of liquid water and lakes.
Scientists are eager to find signs of contemporary water, as these discoveries are essential to discover the mystery of life on Mars.
The possibility of having access to water sources could also help humans survive during a future crewed mission on the planet next to Earth
however this particular lake would not be drinkable and would be nearby. km deep below the icy surface in a harsh and icy environment.
The question of whether microbial life forms are found in the interior is controversial
Some experts are skeptical about the possibility of the lake being cold and brackish. with a high dose of dissolved Martian salts and minerals.
The temperature is probably lower than the freezing point of pure water, but may remain liquid due to the presence of magnesium, calcium and sodium.
ext Fred Watson, of the Australian Astronomical Observatory
"Caution is required however, as the concentration of salts needed for" The discovery was made at the same time. using radar instruments aboard the Mars Express orbiter of the European Space Agency, which was launched in the Indian Ocean. 2003.
The tool called Mars Advanced Radar for the underground and ionospheric sounding (MARSIS), was designed to find groundwater by sending radar pulses that penetrate the surface and ice caps
MARSIS Radio waves propagate and reflect towards the spacecraft, "said the study.
These reflections" provide scientists with information about what lies beneath the surface. " Lead author Roberto Orosei of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica in Bologna, Italy, studied a region called Planum Austral, located in the southern ice cap of Mars, from May 2012 to December 2015.
A total of 29 radar samplings showed "very abrupt change in its associated radar signal", allowing scientists to map the contours of the lake.
"The radar profile of this area is similar to that of the lakes of liquid water hole under the Antarctic and Greenlandic ice sheets on Earth. , suggesting that there is an underglacial lake at this location on Mars, "said the report.
" This is the first water extent detected, so it's very exciting David Stillman, senior researcher in the Space Studies Department of the Southwest Research Institute in Texas, told AFP in an email
However, Stillman, who was not involved in research, said that another spacecraft, or other instruments, were to be able to confirm the discovery. 19659002] He noted that a high frequency radar manufactured by the 39 Italian space agency, SHARAD, aboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter launched in 2005, was unable to detect groundwater.
"It is strange that SHARAD can not confirm this discovery. In fact, SHARAD can not penetrate through the ice here and no one understands why he can not, "said Stillman.
" This suggests that something strange is happening here. So, I'm skeptical about this discovery. "
But researchers are excited about the potential for future discoveries, because if liquid water could be found at the south pole of Mars, it could be elsewhere as well.
The peculiarity of this location, other than the MARSIS radar on the Mars Express spacecraft, is the most sensitive to this region, which means that there are probably similar water deposits under Mars, "says Duffy
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