They find large ice tanks in the Martian equator.

2024/01/25 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astrofisika

ESA (European Space Agency) has confirmed that ice tanks located in the depths of the Martian equator are much larger than they thought, analyzing the MARSIS radar data of the Mars Express probe.

Ice has also been found in previous measurements. Current data refer to the area called Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) and show that the ice tank reaches up to 3.7 kilometers thick. Apparently, ice is organized by layers, intercaling layers of dust. All details have been published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Among other things, they stress that these ice tanks could not be formed with the current climate of the planet. They therefore confirm that there was another climate in the past. In addition to climate, the data analyzed are useful to know many other aspects of the planet.

As could not be otherwise, the study has included references to the existence of life. However, ESA has clearly pointed out that although the presence of water is considered a condition for life, it is not the only one, and so far they have not found any trace to suggest that there was life.