In a groundbreaking study published in the journal “Nature Geoscience,” American scientists have revealed the presence of thousands of tons of frozen water at the summit of a volcano on Mars.
This significant discovery underscores the existence of water, a vital element for life as we know it, on the Red Planet.
The study focused on Tarsis, the largest mountain range in the Solar System, located on Mars’ equator. During nighttime, temperatures on these mountains drop below the freezing point of water, leading to the condensation of water vapor from the atmosphere and the formation of a layer of ice.
With the morning sun, this ice undergoes sublimation, transitioning directly into a gaseous state without melting first.
“What we are observing may be remnants of ancient climate cycles on Mars,” stated Adomas Valantinas, the lead author of the study from the University of Braun.
“In the past, there may have been precipitation, including snow, on these volcanoes,” he added.
This discovery adds to the growing evidence that Mars was once much wetter, and liquid water could have existed on its surface. Scientists have recently estimated that liquid water was present on Mars for at least 200 million years.
Moreover, this finding raises a plethora of questions about Mars’ past and whether life could have ever existed there.
Future research will focus on a more detailed examination of water on Mars and the search for potential traces of life.