China's Zhurong Rover Discovers Fresh Signs of an Ancient Martian Ocean
Research from China's Mars rover Zhurong indicates that Mars may have been home to an ancient ocean, shedding light on the planet’s history and its potential for life. This study, published in Scientific Reports on Thursday, integrates data from Zhurong with remote sensing techniques to uncover characteristics of a possible ancient nearshore environment in the northern lowlands of Mars.
TroibNews 
Data gathered by China's Mars rover Zhurong has presented new evidence suggesting that Mars may have once hosted an ancient ocean, enhancing our understanding of the planet's history and its potential to harbor life.
The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday, integrates in situ data from Zhurong alongside remote sensing observations. These findings indicate the presence of features that are characteristic of an ancient nearshore environment in the northern lowlands of Mars.
The Zhurong rover, part of the Tianwen-1 mission, successfully landed on Utopia Planitia—a large plain located in Mars' northern hemisphere—in 2021. The mission's primary focus has been the investigation of Martian geology, with recent analyses indicating that flooding likely occurred on Utopia Planitia approximately 3.68 billion years ago. "The ocean surface was likely frozen for a geologically short period," noted Bo Wu, a planetary scientist from Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The study identifies various marine landscape features in southern Utopia, including a transition from foreshore highlands to lowlands, shallow marine zones, and deeper marine environments. This evidence reveals a complex evolutionary history of Mars' northern lowlands, indicating that water once flowed into these regions during the Late Noachian epoch.
Researchers believe that this ocean vanished roughly 3.42 billion years ago as Mars transitioned to the cold, arid terrain observed today. Co-author Sergey Krasilnikov emphasized, "The water was heavily silted, forming the layering structure of the deposits."
While earlier studies had suggested the existence of a Hesperian ocean in Mars' northern lowlands, the current data provides more detailed insights into its extent and characteristics. The study outlines that the area likely experienced several phases: initial flooding, the development of shallow and deep marine zones during the Early Hesperian epoch, and the subsequent depletion of subsurface volatiles in the Amazonian epoch.
The identification of these water-related geological formations has significant implications for assessing Mars' habitability. Wu stated, "The presence of an ancient ocean on Mars has been proposed and studied for several decades, yet significant uncertainty remains."
Wu also pointed out that these discoveries lend further support to the hypothesis of a Martian ocean, while for the first time they invite discussion about its likely evolutionary trajectory. The availability of water strengthens the possibility that Mars may have once nurtured microbial life, given that water is a fundamental element for life.
At the time this ocean existed, Mars was likely already experiencing a loss of its once-thick atmosphere, diverging from climates resembling those of Earth. Krasilnikov added, "In the early history of Mars, when it likely had a warm, dense atmosphere, microbial life would have been more possible."
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday, integrates in situ data from Zhurong alongside remote sensing observations. These findings indicate the presence of features that are characteristic of an ancient nearshore environment in the northern lowlands of Mars.
The Zhurong rover, part of the Tianwen-1 mission, successfully landed on Utopia Planitia—a large plain located in Mars' northern hemisphere—in 2021. The mission's primary focus has been the investigation of Martian geology, with recent analyses indicating that flooding likely occurred on Utopia Planitia approximately 3.68 billion years ago. "The ocean surface was likely frozen for a geologically short period," noted Bo Wu, a planetary scientist from Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The study identifies various marine landscape features in southern Utopia, including a transition from foreshore highlands to lowlands, shallow marine zones, and deeper marine environments. This evidence reveals a complex evolutionary history of Mars' northern lowlands, indicating that water once flowed into these regions during the Late Noachian epoch.
Researchers believe that this ocean vanished roughly 3.42 billion years ago as Mars transitioned to the cold, arid terrain observed today. Co-author Sergey Krasilnikov emphasized, "The water was heavily silted, forming the layering structure of the deposits."
While earlier studies had suggested the existence of a Hesperian ocean in Mars' northern lowlands, the current data provides more detailed insights into its extent and characteristics. The study outlines that the area likely experienced several phases: initial flooding, the development of shallow and deep marine zones during the Early Hesperian epoch, and the subsequent depletion of subsurface volatiles in the Amazonian epoch.
The identification of these water-related geological formations has significant implications for assessing Mars' habitability. Wu stated, "The presence of an ancient ocean on Mars has been proposed and studied for several decades, yet significant uncertainty remains."
Wu also pointed out that these discoveries lend further support to the hypothesis of a Martian ocean, while for the first time they invite discussion about its likely evolutionary trajectory. The availability of water strengthens the possibility that Mars may have once nurtured microbial life, given that water is a fundamental element for life.
At the time this ocean existed, Mars was likely already experiencing a loss of its once-thick atmosphere, diverging from climates resembling those of Earth. Krasilnikov added, "In the early history of Mars, when it likely had a warm, dense atmosphere, microbial life would have been more possible."
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
