China’s Zhurong mission, part of the Tianwen-1 Mars exploration initiative, has made a groundbreaking discovery beneath the Martian surface, revealing peculiar polygon structures buried 35 meters (115 feet) underground in the Utopia Planitia impact basin. The findings, analyzed from data sent by the Zhurong mission last year, provide new insights into the Red Planet’s geological history.
The Utopia Planitia region, previously explored by Viking 2 in 1976, has now become the focus of scientific attention due to the latest revelations. The polygon structures were detected using Zhurong’s ground-penetrating radar, shedding light on the planet’s past climate and geological processes.
The scientists believe that these polygon structures were formed by freeze-thaw cycles, a phenomenon familiar on Earth but significant in understanding Martian environmental history. The research, detailed in the journal Nature, suggests that the existence of such structures implies strong paleoclimatic variability at low-to-mid latitudes on Mars, possibly influenced by the planet’s ancient high obliquity.
The freeze-thaw process, known to create similar structures named “spiders” in earlier Martian studies, indicates that this climatic activity has persisted on Mars for billions of years. The study’s horizontal analysis of the region’s layers complements previous studies focused on vertical layers, revealing episodic floods that filled the basin approximately three billion years ago.
This discovery holds significance as it potentially unveils a different Martian climate from what was previously understood. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge about Mars’ geological evolution and environmental conditions over the course of its history.
Mars continues to be a subject of fascination, with ongoing studies capturing the planet’s geological and atmospheric dynamics. While it boasts the tallest volcano in the Solar System, recent seismic activity, or “Marsquakes,” has been recorded by NASA’s InSight mission. As space exploration efforts continue, each revelation adds layers to the intricate story of our neighboring Red Planet.
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