Is there life on Mars? Research continues to present fresh evidence that enhances our understanding of the Red Planet. This question has fascinated humankind to the extent that it’s thought that people could be transported to Mars to ease pressure on earth.
In the past, findings from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) revealed that liquid water flows intermittently on the planet.
Now, a doctoral study at IIT Gandhinagar (IIT[1]Gn) by a scientist of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) has discovered 20 new sites on Mars. Gullies have been found with debris-flow deposits on the planet.
The 20 sites, spread across the middle latitudes of Mars, point to debris flow identical to what is found on Earth.
According to a report by a national daily, the study points to the role of water in the formation of the landform in the past.
Titled ‘Glacial landforms and gully formation on Mars’, the research was carried out
under the watch of Dr Dwijesh Ray, associate professor at Planetary Sciences
Division of PRL
Rishitosh Kumar Sinha, a scientist with the Planetary Sciences Division of the PRL, at IIT-Gn, has indicated that while active gullies change shape owing to movement of carbon dioxide ice in different seasons, water may have caused these gullies to form in the past few million years.
“…the study looked at the possible roles of water and carbon dioxide in the formation of these gullies. The intriguing part was that many of these gullies showed signs of extension or change. If we rule out water, the only explanation that remains is carbon dioxide.
“But only carbon dioxide cannot explain the formation of the entire cluster of gullies. Thus, one must take into consideration the earlier impact of water in the formation of these gullies,” Sinha was quoted as saying.
“However, the current changes can be attributed to carbon dioxide. Perhaps future missions can find water residues in the form of ice in the Martian gullies, providing us the ultimate proof of water’s presence and role.”
The research does not claim that water was the only force in the planet’s past, Sinha said. Additionally, he mentioned that carbon dioxide ice deposits alone cannot explain all gullies.
“The outcome would be helpful in finding a potential site for a mission to Mars by India or other countries. The current rovers have a visibility of a few metres. For further understanding of the formation of gullies, the rovers must have a range of 1-2 metres so that they can look at the near-subsurface of gullies,” he said.
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