Researchers present proof supporting an ancient Martian ocean
Researchers have presented new evidence supporting the existence of an ancient ocean on Mars.
TroibNews 
Chinese researchers have collaborated with international partners to detect subsurface dipping reflectors that suggest the presence of an ancient prograding shoreline on Mars, as detailed in a recent study published in the journal PNAS.
These discoveries represent the most compelling subsurface evidence yet of an ancient ocean on the red planet.
While orbital images have revealed ancient shorelines indicating that the northern lowlands of Mars may have once been enveloped by an ocean covering about a third of the planet’s surface, the theory of an ancient Martian ocean continues to be a matter of debate.
This controversy stems from the uneven elevation distribution of the inferred ancient shorelines observed through remote sensing data, as well as the effects of impacts, weathering, and resurfacing over the past 4 billion years that could have distorted or erased evidence of the ancient ocean's surface.
China's Mars rover Zhurong landed successfully in southern Utopia Planitia in May 2021. By May 2022, it had traversed 1,921 meters across the Martian surface, gathering a wealth of scientific data.
Zhurong is equipped with a dual-frequency subsurface-penetrating radar system capable of probing subsurface structures and potential water ice deposits.
Using radar data collected by the rover, researchers from Guangzhou University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongji University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Pennsylvania State University identified extensive dipping deposits in the subsurface of southern Utopia Planitia.
The reflectors exhibited a unidirectional dip with angles ranging from six to 20 degrees and were observed to have a thickness of 10 to 35 meters along a continuous 1.3-kilometer traverse that ran perpendicular to the shoreline.
These structures were consistent with radar imaging results of coastal sediments found on Earth. Their uniformity and physical characteristics eliminated alternative explanations such as aeolian sand dunes or fluvial alluviation.
The configuration, thickness, and extent of this section suggest a significant supply of onshore sediments into a large body of water, rather than merely representing a localized and fleeting melt event, the article noted.
These findings bolster the case for an ancient Martian ocean in the northern plains and provide essential insights into the evolution of the ancient Martian environment.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
These discoveries represent the most compelling subsurface evidence yet of an ancient ocean on the red planet.
While orbital images have revealed ancient shorelines indicating that the northern lowlands of Mars may have once been enveloped by an ocean covering about a third of the planet’s surface, the theory of an ancient Martian ocean continues to be a matter of debate.
This controversy stems from the uneven elevation distribution of the inferred ancient shorelines observed through remote sensing data, as well as the effects of impacts, weathering, and resurfacing over the past 4 billion years that could have distorted or erased evidence of the ancient ocean's surface.
China's Mars rover Zhurong landed successfully in southern Utopia Planitia in May 2021. By May 2022, it had traversed 1,921 meters across the Martian surface, gathering a wealth of scientific data.
Zhurong is equipped with a dual-frequency subsurface-penetrating radar system capable of probing subsurface structures and potential water ice deposits.
Using radar data collected by the rover, researchers from Guangzhou University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongji University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Pennsylvania State University identified extensive dipping deposits in the subsurface of southern Utopia Planitia.
The reflectors exhibited a unidirectional dip with angles ranging from six to 20 degrees and were observed to have a thickness of 10 to 35 meters along a continuous 1.3-kilometer traverse that ran perpendicular to the shoreline.
These structures were consistent with radar imaging results of coastal sediments found on Earth. Their uniformity and physical characteristics eliminated alternative explanations such as aeolian sand dunes or fluvial alluviation.
The configuration, thickness, and extent of this section suggest a significant supply of onshore sediments into a large body of water, rather than merely representing a localized and fleeting melt event, the article noted.
These findings bolster the case for an ancient Martian ocean in the northern plains and provide essential insights into the evolution of the ancient Martian environment.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
