Scotty Hendricks

Wall – The geography and climate of Mars have long fascinated mankind. The first (false) discoveries were published in 1877, and for almost half a century people were fascinated by the possibility of reservoirs on Mars.

In 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered evidence of water floating in the Gail Crater millions of years ago. In May, Perseverance launched a mission to answer the biggest question about the Red Planet: Was this planet once – or still – home to life?

Discovering the mysteries surrounding the planet’s ancient past is important not only for Mars, but for the planet in general, and for understanding how it changed over time. A recent study published in the scientific journal Geology examines the geography of Mars and how it evolved over time, providing new evidence for how and when erosion formed the planet and how it turned into an entire dusty desert.

The craters on Mars are “significant pits today for debris blown away by the wind on Mars.” Any plate tectonics on the planet comparable to that seen on Earth. [yer hareketliliğinin] Its absence means that the excessive amount of debris and the debris it creates is not depleted by a variable surface, which allows scientists to use craters as a tool to look into the distant past.

By examining these “pits”, the study authors can estimate the amount of sand in each area by comparing it with other factors, such as weather simulations, maps of the ice sheets, and the estimated age of the craters. As the wind blew over the surface of Mars, it moved through the ages.

To determine the location of craters and mudflats in the same area, the researchers analyzed a dataset containing 3,662 individual dungeons, large mudflats across the region, and records from 384,278 impact craters. The amount of sand deposits found in these craters is then calculated based on other factors such as climate and age.

As with Earth, Mars has a particular climate that varies in latitude, so the thickness of the dust predicted to be in a crater can give an idea when looking at certain erosion patterns in rocks in certain areas.

The authors of the study quote:

“The clay fields we see today have been accumulating for thousands of years; However, they may contain rocks that last a long time. Overall, these investment areas provide a unique opportunity to more accurately understand the past and present-day surface environment of Mars.

Their results reveal that Mars lasted a long time, where erosion occurred much faster than usual. Perhaps most importantly, evidence from some craters suggests that the rate of erosion on Mars during the Nochian and Hesperian periods — about 4 to 3 billion years ago — may have been very high, at which time water may have flowed to the surface.

It is easier to understand when you consider how quickly rocks melt when they come in contact only with water or air. The sand and dust found in the craters were formed at that time.

As the authors quote in a statement:

“Our research points in a completely new way to the time and rate of erosion and deposition of debris from the geological history of Mars, and measures the erosion of each type of rock we encounter for the first time on the surface of Mars. It also opens up a whole new way of understanding time.

Their findings help reveal how Mars, once thought to be more Earth-like and possibly even a habitat for life, became this rusty desert.

The findings could one day help us recreate the landscape of Mars.

Translated by: Hurricane Tarkan

Source: Great thought