Swiss research team discovers evidence of ocean on Mars

Bernese research team discovers evidence of an ocean on Mars Keystone-SDA

A research team from the University of Bern has discovered traces of rivers on Mars. This provides evidence that the planet was once covered by a large ocean.

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The international team led by the University of Bern used images from Mars probes to discover geological structures that resemble river deltas. They report this in a study published in the scientific journal npj space exploration.

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“The structures that we were able to identify on the images are clearly the mouth of a river into an ocean,” said study leader Fritz Schlunegger.

Today, the former delta structures are covered by wind-sculpted dunes, but their original shape is still clearly recognisable, according to the researchers.

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The delta structures discovered are all at a similar height. This enabled the team to reconstruct the sea level and a coastline at that time. The results show that the ocean was at least the size of the Arctic Ocean on Earth and stretched across the northern hemisphere of the planet.

Previous studies had already pointed to an ocean, but were based on less precise data or indirect arguments, according to the researchers. The new reconstruction, on the other hand, is based on clear evidence, according to the researchers.

Suitable life conditions

The study dates the highest water level on Mars to around three billion years ago.

According to the scientists, the discovery confirms that conditions on Mars could once have favoured the development of life.

“We know Mars as a dry, red planet. However, our results show that it was a blue planet in the past,” said Ignatius Argadestya, first author of the study, according to the university. This also shows how precious water is on a planet and that it can disappear.

Adapted from German with AI/mga

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