Planetary scientists are eager to explore a Martian mud lake they believe once existed in search of biosignatures. Their study of Hydraotes Chaos, a desiccated remnants of an equatorial mud lake on Mars, suggests that a buried trove of water once surged onto the surface. If their hypothesis is correct, this area could potentially hold valuable clues for future missions seeking evidence of life on Mars.
“While Martian lakes and mud volcanoes have been previously studied, our work represents the first comprehensive analysis specifically focused on a potential mud lake,” explained Alexis Rodriguez, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Arizona, in an interview with Space.com.
Scientists suggest that approximately 3.7 billion years ago, as the Martian atmosphere thinned and the surface cooled, surface water on Mars froze. However, it is believed that underground groundwater remained in vast chambers, providing a potential habitat for life forms that may have left behind traces of their existence.
Hydraotes Chaos, a chaotic terrain on Mars consisting of mountains, craters, and vales, is an example of this unique geography. Rodriguez and his team analyzed images of Hydraotes Chaos captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in search of additional clues.
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