Using seismic activity data from NASA’s Insight lander, geophysicists have uncovered a vast underground reservoir of liquid water on Mars. This discovery reveals a significant amount of groundwater that could potentially cover the planet to a depth of between one and two kilometres.
RESERVOIR LOCATED DEEP IN MARTIAN CRUST
Despite this promising discovery, the reservoir lies between 11.5 and 20 kilometres below the surface. This depth poses a significant challenge for future Mars colonists looking to tap into this water source. The water is trapped in tiny cracks and pores within the Martian crust.
The existence of this underground reservoir sheds light on Mars’ geological history. It suggests that much of the planet’s ancient water did not escape into space but instead filtered down into the crust. This finding helps scientists understand the planet’s water cycle and its climatic evolution.
POTENTIAL FOR LIFE ON MARS
The discovery pinpoints a promising location for future searches for life on Mars. If this reservoir can be accessed, it could provide a habitat for life. “Water is necessary for life as we know it,” said Michael Manga, a UC Berkeley professor of earth and planetary science. “This environment should, in principle, be able to sustain life.”
Research Team and Methodology
The research team included Vashan Wright, a former UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow now at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, alongside Michael Manga and Matthias Morzfeld of Scripps Oceanography. They used a mathematical model of rock physics, similar to those used on Earth, to analyze the seismic data from Insight. Their findings will be detailed in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
INSIGHT’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO MARS EXPLORATION
NASA’s Insight lander, launched in 2018, was designed to investigate Mars’ crust, mantle, core, and atmosphere. The lander provided invaluable data on the planet’s interior before the mission ended in 2022. Insight recorded Mars quakes, meteor impacts, and volcanic rumblings, all of which produced seismic waves that helped geophysicists probe the planet’s interior.
SEISMIC DATA REVEALS MARTIAN INTERIOR
The seismic data collected by Insight allowed scientists to determine the thickness of Mars’ crust, the depth of its core, and the composition of its mantle. Earlier studies indicated that the upper crust above a depth of about five kilometres did not contain water ice, suggesting limited accessible frozen groundwater outside the Polar Regions.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO MARTIAN WATER DISTRIBUTION
The new analysis of the deeper crust concluded that the data are best explained by a water-saturated mid-crust below Insight’s location. The team argues that, assuming a similar crust throughout the planet, there should be more water in this mid-crust zone than previously thought, possibly exceeding the volumes proposed to have filled ancient Martian oceans.
SUPPORT AND FUNDING
The research was supported by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Office of Naval Research. These findings not only offer a new perspective on Mars’ water history but also highlight potential areas for future exploration in the search for life.