The INGV discovers liquid water on Mars

Prospective reconstruction of the Korolev crater with the water ice coverage observed by the European Mars Express mission. The blue arrows indicate a hypothetical wind that blows almost north direction. Credit Image: ESA/DLR/Fu Berlin published on the study “Geomorphological Observations and Physical Hypotheses About Martian Dune Gullies”

The research, based on the analysis of 110 high resolution images acquired by the Mars Reconnaissance orbiter probehighlighted the appearance seasonal water at the triple point.

“The analysis of 110 images with very high resolution (up to 25 cm/pixels) collected over 8 years of Marzian (i.e. about 16 terrestrial years) from the American probe Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has allowed us to highlight for the first time the possible presence on Mars water in its triple point, or in a balance that can coexist solid, liquid and steam states, highlighting a seasonal cycle, highlighting a seasonal cycle. recurring“, explains Adriano Nardi, Ingv researcher and first author of the article. “Albeit for short periods, in the first days of the Martian spring and on the occasion of the gusts of wind, water in this dune can appear in atmospheric and pressure atmospheric conditions that allow its transitory appearance to the liquid state“.

The water, in this case, would be produced by a typical meteorological phenomenon of the Martian environment that manifests itself near the surface of the dunes thanks to their aerodynamic form, impossible to reproduce on earth where, however, the characteristic dunal calanche of Mars (Gullies) have never been observed.

“The Genesis of the ‘classic’ Martians’ ‘classic’ had been investigated by our previous study, which highlighted how the spring water could produce those calanche through the seasonal merger of the Permafrost, or the ice that was trapped in the ground in past eras. This new research, on the other hand, has identified even rarer phenomena that produce channels other than classical ones, called ‘Linear Gullies’. More linear “, adds Antonio Piersanti, research manager of the Ingv and co-author of the study.

Abnormal calanche on the dunes of the Russell crater. Here, the calanche no longer show the classic Scheme Aca (accumulation-channel-apron, that is, accumulation-channel-dentic-ventaglio) but that of the “linear calanche”. The initial section of the channels (box T) is characterized by a “V” section. The final section (box B) is characterized by a “U” section. Year 29, Sol 47 (early autumn). Credit image: Hirise PSP_007018_1255 (NASA/JPL-CALTECH/UARIZONA).

“The Linear Gullies could be formed by the Brina which, thanks to the images of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter probe, we highlighted on the top of the Duna Russell. The surface of the slope is wavy laterally and, when the channels remain in the penumbra, traces of humidity absorbed by the sand are observed. Conversely, when a channel carried out in the direction of the light, there is an immediate evaporation of the water that had been preserved liquid“.

The discovery of the presence of liquid water, even if for short periods, could have significant consequences for the understanding of Martian geology and for the search for microbial life forms. In addition, it could influence the choice of landing sites for future space missions on Mars.

“This could be the first time ever that you can observe liquid water on Mars: certainly it is the first time that the formation and morphology of a rare Martian phenomenon, the linear gullies present on its dunes, to the action of water in the liquid state in the current environment are associated“, Nardi concludes.