Liquid water was found on Mars for the first time, but it is located at a great depth below the surface - from 10 to 20 km.
After analyzing the data collected by NASA's Mars Insight Lander probe, scientists concluded that there is a so-called reservoir of liquid water deep in the Red Planet's crust. The results of the analysis were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Mars Insight Lander probe landed on the surface of the Red Planet 6 years ago. For four of them, he sat in one place and "listened to the planet", that is, he recorded the tremors of the Martian crust on a seismograph. The probe recorded seismic waves only under itself, and accordingly, a deposit of water was also discovered in this place, but scientists believe that such deposits are also in other parts of Mars. The analysis showed that water lies under the surface of the planet at a depth of 10 to 20 km.
"This is the same method that is used on Earth to find underground deposits of water, oil or gas." Michael Manga, a professor at the University of California, explained to the publication.
This discovery, as Manga noted, answers the big question: "Where did the water go from Mars?"
Researchers studying the surface of Mars have long understood that there was water on it: there are traces of rivers and lakes on the surface. But in the last 3 billion years, instead of them, there is a desert.
Part of the water obviously remained below the surface. In this regard, Manga reminds us that on Earth, a fairly large part of the water is underground, and he sees no reason why the same cannot be found on Mars.
If this is true, then, according to scientists, there should be enough water in these invisible deposits to cover the entire surface of Mars.
But the depth of these reserves greatly complicates the plans of those who are thinking about colonizing the Red Planet.
"It is hidden in the crust at a depth of 10-20 km. Drilling a well 10 km deep on Mars will be difficult even for Elon Musk." Manga said.
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