Zhurong Mars rover China finds evidence of water at red planet low latitudes
Xinhua News Agency Report According to, till now many studies have revealed that water was present on Mars in the past, but due to climate change, liquid water ceased to exist on Mars. Scientists have been believing that the presence of water on Mars can be in the form of solid or gas.
However, through NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander, it was revealed that salty liquid water can be visible in the highlands of Mars in summer. NASA’s observations have predicted that there is a lack of water in the low-lying areas of Mars, but the results of the Zhurong rover are the opposite.
This Chinese rover landed on the northern hemisphere of Mars in May 2021. The rover has so far covered a distance of 2 kilometers on Mars. The data that Zhurong sent to Earth before going into inactive mode provided many information, which were collected from the lower regions of the planet. The rover had landed there.
The data sent by Zhurong was examined by a group of more than 20 researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. They found marks like crusts, cracks, polygonal ridges and stripes on the surface of Mars. Analysis revealed that the surface of Mars is rich in hydrated sulphates, hydrated silica and ferrihydrite, among many other minerals. From some additional data, experts have speculated that these surface features are related to the presence of liquid water in the past, which was salty.
This discovery is important because the lower regions of Mars are warmer than the higher regions and are better for the existence or possibilities of life. It also turns out that at some point in time, salt water might have been present in different areas of Mars.
