Mars Rover Data Reconfirms Theory of a Warm, Wet Past

Research utilizing data from NASA’s Perseverance rover has reconfirmed long-held scientific beliefs that Mars was once a planet with warm and wet conditions, potentially supporting microbial life. This conclusion is backed by the discovery of ancient lake sediments on Mars, indicating the presence of a significant body of water, likely in the Jezero Crater. This detailed research was published in the journal Science Advances on Friday, January 26, and involved teams from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Oslo.

The research focused on data collected by Perseverance, a car-sized, six-wheeled rover that traversed the Martian surface for several months in 2022. The rover conducted subsurface scans while moving from the crater’s floor to an area with braided, sedimentary-like features similar to river deltas on Earth.

UCLA planetary scientist David Paige, the lead author of the paper, explained that the rover’s RIMFAX radar instrument allowed scientists to examine underground rock layers up to 65 feet (20 meters) deep, offering a cross-sectional view comparable to observing a cut road. These layers provided undeniable proof that soil sediments, likely from a river delta, were transported to the area billions of years ago, approximately 3 billion years in the past.

The study represents a significant achievement in Mars exploration, verifying the appropriate choice of location for the mission. Early analysis of core samples, taken by Perseverance near its landing site in February 2021, revealed volcanic rock instead of the expected sedimentary rock. This finding added a new layer to the understanding of Martian geology.

The results from these studies are complementary, with even the volcanic rocks showing signs of water alteration. This observation led scientists, in a separate study published in August 2022, to hypothesize that sedimentary deposits might have eroded over time.

Additionally, the recent RIMFAX radar readings reported on Friday revealed evidence of erosion both before and after the formation of the sedimentary layers at the crater’s western edge. According to Paige, these findings highlight the complex geological history of the region and provide insight into the dynamic processes that have shaped the Martian landscape.