European Space Agency captures ‘salty purple mermaid’ on Mars
In a stunning find, the European Space Agency (ESA) has released images of what they’ve dubbed a “salty purple mermaid” on the surface of Mars. The unusual sight was captured by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) during a 2022 flyby and has sparked intrigue and curiosity among scientists and space enthusiasts alike.
A strange sight on the Martian landscape
The purple wave, standing out vividly among the planet’s usual red, brown, and grey tones, was discovered in Terra Sirenum—a dried-up riverbed in Mars’ southern hemisphere. Terra Sirenum, which translates from Latin as the “Sea of the Sirens,” evokes the mythology of ancient mariners, though ESA was quick to clarify that this “mermaid” is purely an optical illusion.
“A purplish, scaly wave lures the attention of a European spacecraft as it flies over,” ESA noted in a statement accompanying the image. They assured me that “there are no mythological mermaids or seas in the Martian world today,” emphasizing the scientific explanation behind the phenomenon.
Unveiling the mystery of the purple anomaly
Using the Color and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) aboard the orbiter, scientists determined that the purple anomaly was actually a deposit of chloride salts. The CaSSIS camera, known for its high-resolution color stereo imaging capabilities, provided a detailed view of the Martian surface, allowing researchers to study the planet’s topography and geological processes from afar.
Stereo imaging captures multiple angles of the same surface feature, enabling the creation of detailed 3D models of the terrain. This technique was crucial in identifying the chlorine-rich minerals that caused the purple hue in the TGO’s color-infrared images.
The significance of chloride deposits on Mars
The presence of these chloride deposits is significant, as they suggest that Mars once had abundant water. However, due to the planet’s lack of a magnetic field, its atmosphere was slowly eroded away, taking much of its water with it. The remaining mineral deposits now serve as evidence of water’s past presence.
“Very salty waters could have become a haven for life, a beacon for habitable places on Mars,” the ESA team explained. High concentrations of salt allow water to remain liquid at temperatures as low as –40 ºC, making areas like Terra Sirenum prime candidates for future missions searching for signs of life.
The discovery of these chloride-rich “purple waves” not only adds to our understanding of Mars’ geological history but also points to potential locations where life might have once thrived on the Red Planet.