Mars has been researched by scientists over the years for having the possibility of harbouring life on its surface, and recently it has been studied not just for its red dusty landscape but also for what lies beneath.Among the most exciting discoveries in recent years are the planet’s mysterious glaciers, many of which are hidden beneath layers of dust and rock. For years, researchers believed these formations were mostly rocky debris with only a small amount of ice mixed in. However, new research using advanced radar technology is changing that view as it could have major implications for future human missions to the Red Planet.Recent findings reveal that glaciers on Mars may hold far more pure water ice than previously thought.
What does the exciting discovery reveal
A new study has revealed that glaciers on Mars are composed of over 80% pure water ice, challenging earlier assumptions that they were primarily rocky formations with limited ice content. Using the SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) instrument on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists were able to peer beneath the surface and uncover the true composition of these Martian glaciers.
Researchers previously believed many of these glaciers, found on the slopes of Martian mountains, were covered in thick layers of dust and debris and contained only about 30% ice. However, the latest analysis, published in the journal Science Direct, shows a different picture, one where glaciers are made up of relatively clean ice, shielded beneath a thin debris layer.“We found a surprising consistency in the purity of these glaciers,” said Oded Aharonson, a professor of planetary science at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, in an interview with Space.com. “We found all the sites we looked at can be described as relatively pure ice deposits, maybe 80% or more ice, under a rock or dust cover. They could be a resource in the future if humanity tried to access them.”According to Isaac Smith, co-author of the study and senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, researchers had previously used different techniques on separate sites, making it hard to compare results. “Different techniques had been applied by researchers to various sites, and the results could not be easily compared,” he said.
The study also explores how this ice may have formed. Aharonson explained that it likely came from atmospheric precipitation, mostly snowfall, or through direct condensation on the Martian surface. “It doesn’t seem like it would have formed through pore ice formation… If the ice in these glaciers had grown that way, we’d expect much higher levels of impurities, and that’s not what we see,” he said.Another important discovery from the study is the uniformity of these glaciers. Their consistent composition suggests that Mars may have undergone a single planet-wide glaciation event, or possibly several with very similar conditions. This is a vital clue to understanding the planet’s climatic and atmospheric history.
