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Recent scientific findings suggest that there may be water or large amounts of water on Mars. This is an interesting revelation because the presence of water increases the likelihood that organic life exists outside the Earth.
International space agencies such as NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have published data showing that Mars probably has an existing groundwater system on the planet. The information showed that the red planet was not always the dusty planet it is now known.
In fact, ESA is of the opinion that massive bodies of water existed above and below the planet. This information was collected using three powerful instruments: a high-resolution stereo camera (HRSC), NASA's HiRISE scientific experiment and the on-board Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter from NASA.
But as we all know, scientists at these space agencies have not yet found real water on the red planet. If the presence of oceans of water actually exists today, what could be the main reasons why there is no water on the surface of the red planet? In a report by Gizmodo, some scientists explain the reasons.
According to Scott King, professor of geoscience at Virginia Tech, who studies the formation and evolution of planets, he is more surprised than others about the disappearance of water on the surface of Mars.
"On Earth, water reacts with rocks on and under the ocean floor. These weathered rocks are carried into subduction zones by the movement of tectonic plates. This displaces 150 to 300 tons of water a year from the surface inside the Earth – a very effective way of removing water from the surface. This mechanism does not work on Mars because there is no plate tectonics or subduction, "he said.
King believes that the images and data of the Mars landing gear and orbiters are limited and that water may be hiding under the altered rocks of the red planet.
Andrew Coates, professor of physics and assistant director (Solar System) at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London, also believes that water has already existed on the planet and that the best timeline to see its It existed / existed life on Mars would be billions of years ago when the water has prospered.
"March has changed dramatically in 4.6 billion years since its formation. About 3.8 billion years ago, Mars looked much more like Earth: volcanism, magnetic field, surface water, and thick atmosphere, at a time when life was already beginning on Earth. Evidence of the presence of old surface waters has accumulated – starting with Viking Orbit Imaging, a direct evidence in situ that water was at the surface, with an analysis of Opportunity minerals and Curiosity, evidence of neutral acidity, water from minerals and rich clays on ancient surface regions, mapped by Mars Express, "he said.
However, due to the low content of carbon dioxide atmosphere and the hardness of the surface environment and the depletion of the atmosphere that is not protected by a global magnetic field, Mars water has gone, leaving behind a cold, dry planet.
David Weintraub, professor of astronomy at Vanderbilt University and author of "Life On Mars," said that Mars had lost only 10 to 40 percent of the water it had billions of years ago.
"By using the abundance of some trace gases in the Mars atmosphere, scientists believe that there was once an ocean of depth up to 450 feet. Based on this evidence from atmospheric gases, we know that Mars lost 75% to 85% of the water with which it started. All this water is gone forever, lost in space. Once again, I think we can say that with great confidence, "he said.
Although the reason that water no longer exists on the surface of the red planet has still not been clearly defined, scientists are willing to study and collect more clues so we can learn more about the origin of the planet.
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