Scientists Find Compelling Evidence of Ancient Ocean on Mars
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Apr 16
Scientists Find Compelling Evidence of Ancient Ocean on Mars
9 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Apr 16
Scientists have identified geological features on Mars resembling a coastal shelf, providing strong evidence for a long-lost ocean on the planet’s northern plains.
Using data from NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor, researchers found a topographic band similar to Earth’s continental shelves, dubbed a ‘bathtub ring’.
This discovery suggests Mars was once much wetter and potentially more habitable, with the ocean possibly covering a third of its surface billions of years ago.
Is this newfound 'bathtub ring' the final proof in the decades-long debate about Martian seas?
Could this vast, flat plain on Mars have been formed by something other than an ancient ocean?
How could early Mars have stayed warm enough to support a liquid ocean for millions of years?
Does this ancient ocean shelf reveal the best new landing spots to hunt for Martian fossils?
Mars once had a vast ocean. Where did all of that water disappear to?
With the sample return mission cancelled, can we ever truly know if life swam in Mars's ancient ocean?
Evidence of Ancient Martian Oceans: 76 Subsurface Reflectors and Shoreline Features from Zhurong and Orbital Data
Overview
China's Zhurong rover, landing on Mars in 2021, used advanced radar to reveal 76 angled sediment layers beneath Utopia Planitia, matching Earth's ancient beach formations and confirming a stable ocean in Mars's northern lowlands billions of years ago. Complementing this, 2024 orbital data uncovered shoreline deposits in Valles Marineris, indicating the largest known Martian ocean. Climate models show a thick CO₂-H₂ atmosphere maintained a cold but wet environment, allowing these oceans to persist. Meanwhile, NASA's Perseverance rover found mineral patterns suggesting possible ancient microbial life. These discoveries guide upcoming sample-return missions and highlight water ice as vital for future human exploration on Mars.