Is water body detected on Mars? « Back to Questions List

A massive underground water body has been identified for the first time on Mars. The incredible feat was achieved by NASA and Italian researchers on July 25, 2018. Earlier researches had pointed out possible signs of intermittent liquid water flow on the Martian surface. But this discovery is the first sign of a water body on the planet. 

The discovery was made by MARSIS, a radar instrument on board of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express Orbiter. The European Space Agency is an intergovernmental organisation of 22 member states  dedicated to the exploration of space. The mars expression mission is the first planetary mission by ESA and is exploring the planet Mars.  MARSIS  stands for Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding.  MARSIS is designed by the Thales Alenia Space Italy. It is a low frequency, pulse-limited radar sounder  along with a altimeter. 

The detection of liquid body happened while analyzing the radar data sent by the Mars Express satellite, which is in the planet's orbit. According to scientists, the water body is a 19km wide stretch of liquid.  The discovery happened when the signals from the satellite’s radar passed through the south pole ice of  Mars and reflected of the liquid body beneath. This discovery has extra ordinary significance as it has heightened speculation about the presence of living organisms on the red Planet. 

The revelation was made through a paper published in the Journal Science.  The possibility of liquid water on Mars was predicted around thirty years back. A water body is normally a significant accumulation of water, generally on the surface of a planet.  The research team has not been able to measure the depth of the body.  Though they say that it is atleast a metre deep, are unsure whether it extends beyond that.  Hence it is yet to be identified whether the water body is a lake or aquifer where water has accumulated. 

Though waterbody has been identified, the water of the lake is not drinkable.  It is already understood that water on mars is subjected to extreme conditions.  The temperature around Mar’s south pole is assessed to be -68 degree Celsius which is much below the freezing temperature of water. Since the water body is identified in a liquid stage, it is assumed that it is extremely saline. Only high pressure and high level of saline allow water to remain liquid at this low temperature.  Presence of   extreme saline makes the water highly toxic for life. Existence of microbial forms of life on the planet has not yet been identified.  High levels of radiation on the surface of Mars might allow life only in the underground. Though it is very difficult to reach the water body through the highly thick ice plates, scientists expect to identify first form of life in the waterbody.  
 

ISRO – Indian Space Research Organisation