Researchers at Cornell University re-analyzed data collected by the orbiter
Many places on Mars have water, includingon most of both polar caps - all of it has been preserved in a frozen form. But in 2020, researchers reported that the radars of the Mars Express satellite detected bright reflections below the surface of the Martian layered deposits of the South Pole. These 1.4 km thick formations were composed of relatively pure water ice. Some scientists have interpreted the observations as evidence of liquid water.
In an article published September 26 in the magazineNature Astronomy, researchers from Cornell University report that although the presence of a liquid underground lake seems like a fascinating idea, the anomaly can be explained differently.
Using computer modeling, scientistsshowed that such strong reflections can be created by interference between ordinary geological layers that do not contain liquid water or other rare materials.
The researchers modeled the structure of the polarregion of Mars, consisting of three layers: two layers of solid carbon dioxide, separated by a layer of dusty ice. These materials have previously been found in the polar regions of the Red Planet. The study produced the same result observed by Mars Express.
Scientists note that the thickness of the layers and the distancebetween them have a greater influence on the strength of the signal reflection than their composition. This means that we need to be more careful in interpreting the results of satellite observations.
Read more:
It turned out what happens to the human brain after one hour in the forest
It became known which tea destroys protein in the brain
Strange sea creatures in the depths of the ocean turned out to be similar to humans
On the cover: layered deposits near the south pole of Mars. Image: NASA, JPL-Caltech, University of Arizona/Provided