Seismic data points to subsurface water reserves on Mars

Mars has long fascinated scientists with its potential to harbor water.

Mars might be hiding vast reserves of liquid water, but there's a catch: it's buried deep beneath the planet's surface, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

Recent analysis of seismic data from the Mars InSight lander suggests that these hidden reservoirs are the most plausible explanation for the seismic signals observed. While this water is currently unreachable, it offers crucial insights into the enigmatic history of our arid, dusty neighbor.

"Understanding the Martian water cycle is essential for comprehending the planet's climate, surface evolution, and internal processes," says geophysicist Vashan Wright from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. "A key first step is to pinpoint where this water is located and gauge its quantity."

While rovers on Mars diligently gather data about the planet’s surface geology, evidence increasingly points to a time when Mars was far wetter. Features like ancient lake beds, deltas, and mineral deposits suggest that the red planet was once inundated with water, contrasting sharply with its current arid state.

Mars today holds water in the form of ice on and just beneath its surface, but these icy reserves are insufficient to account for the planet's more aqueous past. To unravel the mystery of Mars' water history, understanding where the lost water went is essential. It could have evaporated into space or seeped into the planet's interior, either as ice deposits or liquid reservoirs.

While the exact amount of water lost to space remains unknown, recent data from the now-defunct Mars InSight lander offers new insights into Mars' subsurface. Between November 2018 and December 2022, InSight monitored seismic activity, capturing acoustic waves that reveal details about the materials below.

By applying a geophysical model similar to those used for mapping aquifers and oil fields on Earth, scientists have discovered that seismic data suggest the presence of a substantial layer of fractured igneous rock, such as granite, deep within Mars. This layer, located between 11.5 and 20 kilometers (7.1 to 12.4 miles) beneath the surface, appears to be filled with liquid water.

While this water is far beyond our current reach, its existence provides a crucial piece of the puzzle in understanding Mars' water cycle and climate history. "The discovery of a significant reservoir of liquid water offers valuable insights into Mars' past and potential future habitability," says geophysicist Michael Manga of the University of California, Berkeley.

"And water is necessary for life as we know it. I don't see why this underground reservoir wouldn't be a habitable environment," says Michael Manga. "It's certainly true on Earth—deep mines and the ocean's depths host life. We haven't found evidence of life on Mars yet, but identifying a place that should, in principle, be able to sustain it is a significant step."

Mars remains enigmatic about its water reserves. Previous studies have detected, then questioned, the presence of water reservoirs beneath the Martian surface. InSight's data indicated a scarcity of water ice in the upper crust around its landing site.

However, if the newly discovered water-rich layer is consistent globally, it could potentially supply enough water to fill ancient oceans, according to researchers. The findings are promising but not definitive. To fully understand what Mars conceals beneath its dusty surface, further observations and more detailed analysis are required. Perhaps it's time to consider deploying a new seismometer to continue the investigation.