Latest news with #Losekoot
Arabian Post
3 days ago
- Science
- Arabian Post
Mars Highlands Reveal Vast 15,000 km Ancient River Network
High‑resolution images from orbiting spacecraft have revealed an extraordinary network of over 15,000 km of fluvial sinuous ridges—also known as inverted channels—spanning Noachis Terra in Mars's southern highlands. This vast system, identified using data from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE, CTX and MOLA instruments, indicates long‑lasting surface water activity shaped by precipitation roughly 3.7 billion years ago, reshaping scientific views of Mars's climate evolution. The ridges formed when river sediments cemented into resistant deposits, which later stood above the surrounding terrain after wind and erosion removed softer material. While previous research focused on valley networks, this study highlights inverted channels as compelling evidence of persistent, region‑wide water flow. Mapping uncovers meandering tributaries branching over hundreds of kilometres, with some avenues entering craters and breaching their rims—clear signs of river systems active long enough to carve into ancient impact landscapes. ADVERTISEMENT This finds new relevance in the Noachian‑Hesperian transition around 3.7 Ga—a geological era marked by a shift to a colder, drier Mars. The extensive fluvial systems preserved in Noachis Terra suggest sustained precipitation, rather than brief warming phases, supplied the water needed to maintain these rivers over a geologically meaningful period. The research, led by Adam Losekoot of the Open University and backed by the UK Space Agency, was unveiled at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting in Durham. Losekoot described Noachis Terra as a 'time‑capsule' recording ancient planetary processes, preserved for billions of years. These findings challenge earlier assumptions that equated Mars's early surface with a mostly cold and icy environment, punctuated by sporadic melting events. Instead, the new evidence supports a hypothesis of a warmer, wetter environment driven by substantial precipitation over extended periods. Noachis Terra had been relatively neglected by researchers focused on valley‑rich areas. The absence of traditional valley networks there previously led to underestimates of its water history. The focus on inverted channels opens fresh perspectives on how widespread surface water once was—even in terrains previously thought arid. This revived understanding of Mars's hydrological past connects with other findings that hint at subsurface water reserves. Among them, a recent international study reported a potential vast aquifer beneath Mars's south polar region. The new Noachis Terra data further supports the notion that early Mars had a robust water cycle, including precipitation and possibly rain‑fed riverine systems. Geologists also note that inverted channels have analogues on Earth, where cemented river sediments resist erosion and eventually form ridges that stand proud above eroded valleys. On Mars, such features appear most prominently in places like Miyamoto Crater and Juventae Chasma, but the scale of Noachis Terra's network is unprecedented. The implications for Mars's early environment are significant: a hydrologically active climate may have supported ecosystems or even nascent life. Though climate modelling has struggled to produce conditions that allow sustained liquid water, the physical evidence embedded in Noachis Terra's ridges demands revised scenarios. These might include episodic atmospheric thickening or greenhouse warming phases sufficient to sustain precipitation for extended times. Future research will likely probe whether similar inverted networks exist in other under‑studied highland regions and whether sediment composition points to seasonal cycles or sediment supply dynamics. Planned follow‑up with rover missions or crater‑site analysis may further evaluate if ancient lakes once sat behind these breached craters, and if mineral signatures—such as clay or sulphate layers—point to habitable or life‑friendly conditions.
India.com
3 days ago
- Science
- India.com
Mars Had Rivers Mightier Than The Ganga? New Discovery Reveals Red Planet's Wet Past
In a discovery that has rocked planetary science, researchers have found more than 9,300 miles of ancient river ridges on Mars, suggesting the Red Planet was once a thriving, water-rich world. These fossil riverbeds, some possibly mightier than the Ganga or Amazon, wind through Mars' southern highlands, defying the long-held belief that the planet was mostly dry and frozen. Led by PhD candidate Adam Losekoot at the Open University and backed by the UK Space Agency, the research focused on Noachis Terra, a region often overlooked by previous Martian studies. Unlike visible valleys or canyons, the team identified sinuous ridges, formed when ancient rivers deposited sediments that later hardened into stone. Over time, surrounding ground eroded away, leaving behind the riverbed in elevated relief, clear signs of once-flowing water. These ridges tell a vivid story: Mars, around 3.7 billion years ago, experienced long periods of rainfall and surface runoff, not just occasional melting ice or volcanic floods. The sheer extent of these channels implies seasonal, consistent rivers, possibly supported by a thicker atmosphere and temperate climate, a perfect recipe for life. While most Mars studies have focused on dramatic valleys or craters like Jezero, this new evidence shifts the spotlight to subtle landforms, exposing a climate history that's far more stable and Earth-like than previously thought. Losekoot describes Noachis Terra as a "time capsule", untouched by plate tectonics or erosion, preserving secrets of a watery world that might once have been hospitable to life. The findings, presented at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting 2025, call for future missions to explore these inverted channels for biosignatures and minerals shaped by water. This isn't just a story about ancient Martian rivers, it's a new chapter in the search for alien life and a deeper understanding of planetary evolution. As scientists decode every ridge and bend, one thing is clear: Mars was never just a barren desert. It may have once flowed with life.
