Introduction- New discovery of primeval ocean on Mars enfolds more water than Earth’s Arctic Ocean, as described by the scientists of NASA. They have used the ground-based observatories, which has identified and measure the traces and amount of Red Planet’s atmosphere. Scientists have been researching on the vast water supply left on the surface and with regular study they found and assumed the amount of water on Mars after determining the loss amount of water from the space.
History- With these researches scientist can better understand the history of water on Mars. Researcher says that the amount of water that is present in Mars can cover its entire layer’s surface in liquid about 450 feet deep, which has the most possibility to form an ocean occupying half of the Mar’s northern hemisphere and covering about the regions more 1 kilometre. They have new estimated detailed observation with the help of powerful instruments. The instruments helped in distinguishing the chemical traces of two slightly dissimilar forms of water in the atmosphere of Mars.
The form was H2O and HDO that is naturally arising differences comprises of hydrogen and one deuterium, a heavier form of material. With these forms comparison of HDO and H2O in water on Mars at present and about 4.5 million years ago will show the subsequent atmospheric changes along with the determination of water being escaped.
Working- The team who were working on this research has maintained a data of nearly six years, which was equal to three Martian years. The data that had been collected from the results have kept snapshots of each compound, as well as their ratio. These first-of-their-kind maps discloses multiple regional differences termed as microclimates and seasonal changes and it doesn’t matter if the present Mars is completely desert now.
The polar ice cap enfolds the planets largest known water reservoir and these regions allured the researchers most because of the presence of north and south poles. All those water that had been stores there showed the evolution of Mars’ water during the wet Noachian period, which came to an end about 3.7 billion years ago, to the present.
Analysis- during the measurements they found lost amount of water on Mars, a volume of 6.5 times larger than the volume in the polar caps which determines the volume of water was larger before. About 19 % of the planet’s surface is being covered by ancient Ocean that is larger than Earth’s Atlantic Ocean 17 % surface. The exploration by NASA on Mars Exploration Program aims to feature and understand Mars as flexible system with its present and past environment, climate cycles, geology and biological potential.