Researchers have found that all the water he left behind is hidden

Mars appears to us today as a desert world. But Astronomers It is estimated that water flowed abundantly on the red planet billions of years ago. So much so that the entire planet may have been covered by an ocean at a depth of about 100 to 1,500 meters. Equal to half of our Atlantic Ocean. To explain this water disappearance, researchers generally blame the weak Gravity Reigns on Mars. It would have simply allowed water to escape into space.

However, new data show that this is the case “Atmospheric Leak” Most of the water that has disappeared from does not count The surface of Mars. In contrast, they suggest that the Red Planet still has 30 to 99% of the water that has flowed in the past. Trapped Minerals Mars Christine.

To achieve this conclusion, the Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech, United States) Cross-reference data collected by many Mars missions From NASA. They compared them with observations Telescopes And laboratory tasks Meteors. Their idea: to study the amount of water on Mars, regardless of its shape (steam, Liquid Or Gas) Composition over time and chemistryAtmosphere And the crust of the Red Planet.

Lack of recycling

This is the most accurate deuterium ratio Hydrogen They put chips in their ears. Keep in mind that deuterium is a heavier form of hydrogen. Therefore the tendency to escape from a planet’s atmosphere due to gravity deficiency is less than that of hydrogen. In fact, if a planet loses water Via Atmosphere above it, refers to a word in the process statement Deuterium On the hydrogen of the said atmosphere. It will accumulate more deuterium than this “Normal”, Or 0.02%.

However, the hydrogen ratio of deuterium measured by astronomers and the hypothesis that a large amount of water flowed on Mars in the past do not apply. Moreover, according to the researchers, the current state of Mars can only be explained by considering that water is trapped in the minerals on its surface.

On earth, too, water is trapped by rocks. In form ‘Clay Or other hydrating minerals. But the old woman The crust of the earth Constantly melting Code And creates a new overlay on the edges Tectonic plates, Recycled water – and other Molecules – In the atmosphere Volcano. On Mars, on the other hand, there are no tectonic plates “Drying” Surface. Researchers are now eagerly awaiting the information provided to them Diligence, The Round From NASA, which landed on Mars a month ago.