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UPSC » Daily News Analysis ‘Study suggests Liquid Water Deep Inside Martian Rocks’: 21 August

Daily News Analysis ‘Study suggests Liquid Water Deep Inside Martian Rocks’: 21 August

A recent study by the University of California San Diego suggests the first discovery of liquid water, possibly in large amounts, deep in Mars' crust, beyond the known polar ice.

Table of Content

About the Study:

  • It was carried out by Researchers using seismic wave data and an Earth-like geophysical model to identify a layer of fractured igneous rock, filled with liquid water, 10-20 km deep in Mars’ crust.
  • Key Findings:
    • Location: Water is in fractured igneous rock 10-20 km deep, likely seeped from the surface billions of years ago.
    • Extent: Water in rock fractures could fill a 1-2 km-deep ocean if widespread.
  • Significance of the Findings:
    • Enhances understanding of Mars’ water cycle, potentially unlocking insights into the planet’s climate, surface, and interior evolution.
    • Could aid in the ongoing search for evidence of life on Mars.

 

Why in News?

A recent study by the University of California San Diego suggests the first discovery of liquid water, possibly in large amounts, deep in Mars’ crust, beyond the known polar ice.

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