Scientists have long sought evidence of life on Mars; even a small presence of water could be a significant breakthrough. Recently, researchers made a remarkable discovery by finding patches of water frost equivalent to “60 Olympic-size swimming pools” on Martian volcanoes.
According to a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, thin and extensive layers of water frost were detected atop three of the Tharsis volcanoes on Mars. These volcanoes are located on a plateau near the planet’s equator and are among the tallest in our solar system. The water frost was specifically found on Olympus, Arsia Mons, Ascraeus Mons, and Ceraunius Tholus.
The European Space Agency’s Mars Express and ExoMars missions captured 30,000 images of the water frost while orbiting Mars
Researchers from Brown University stated in a press release, “The researchers calculate the frost constitutes at least 150,000 tons of water that swap between the surface and atmosphere each day during the cold seasons. That’s the equivalent of roughly 60 Olympic-size swimming pools.”
The European Space Agency’s Mars Express and ExoMars missions captured 30,000 images of the water frost while orbiting Mars, which were then analyzed by a team of international researchers. The study noted that the thin layer of frost is approximately “one-hundredth of a millimetre thick or about the width of a human hair.” These frost layers form during sunrise and evaporate as the day progresses.
Lead author of the study and postdoctoral fellow at Brown University, Adomas Valantinas, mentioned in a press release, “We thought it was impossible for frost to form around Mars’ equator, as the mix of sunshine and thin atmosphere keeps temperatures during the day relatively high at both the surface and mountaintop — unlike what we see on Earth, where you might expect to see frosty peaks.”
Frederic Schmidt from Paris-Saclay University told AFP, “We saw a shiny, blue deposit there, a particular texture that we only see in the early morning and during the cold seasons.” He added, “What we’re seeing may be a remnant of an ancient climate cycle on modern Mars, where you had precipitation and maybe even snowfall on these volcanoes in the past.”
The study also indicated that the water frost is found on the calderas of the volcanoes, which are large depressions at the summit formed by past eruptions. ESA scientist Colin Wilson commented on the discovery, stating, “Finding water on the surface of Mars is always exciting, both for scientific interest and for its implications for human and robotic exploration.”