Is There Water On Mars? Searching For The Source Of Life On The Red Planet

3rd Oct 2024

Imagine a future where humanity colonises Mars, lives in domed homes, and grows food in Martian greenhouses. The key ingredient will be H2O. But where to get this life-giving moisture on a planet with a surface resembling Death Valley in the Mojave Desert?

In this article, you will find answers to questions is there water on Mars, how can it help in colonising the red planet, and what discoveries in this area scientists have already made. Join us in this exciting investigation and go through the gathered evidence of water existence on Mars.

Was There Water On Mars?

The early Martian environment (right), believed to contain liquid water and a thicker atmosphere, is a world away from the cold, dry environment of Mars today (left).Credit: NASA’s Goddard Flight Centre

Yes, once upon a time, about 3-4 billion years ago, the Red Planet was similar to Earth and had bodies of water. Both planets were formed from the same materials and had similar geological structures, such as a central core, a rocky mantle, and a solid crust. Therefore, Mars, like Earth, had a thick enough atmosphere and a warm climate for liquid aqua to exist on its surface. But how do we know this?

In 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity discovered traces of ancient bodies of water in the Meridiani Planum region. Then, the Curiosity rover, which arrived on the Red Planet in 2012, found evidence of ancient lakes and rivers in Gale Crater. Soil analysis showed the presence of hydrated minerals that could only form in the presence of H2O. And finally, the Perseverance rover exploring Jezero Crater in 2021 found signs of ancient river deltas and sedimentary rocks, confirming the presence of aqua in the past.

That is, once upon a time, there were rivers, lakes and perhaps even oceans on the Red Planet, but where did they all go?

What Happened To The Water On Mars?

History of water on Mars. Numbers represent how many billions of years ago. Credit: Wiki

It literally evaporated. Due to the solar wind’s impact on the Martian atmosphere, it eroded, which led to the evaporation of surface liquid. The solar wind consists of electrically charged particles that have their own magnetic field. In the absence of its own global magnetic field on the Red Planet, these particles interact with ions of atmospheric gases, accelerate their movement, and lead to their removal from the atmosphere. Over time, the process of atmospheric erosion led to the fact that the Martian atmosphere became too rarefied and thin for aqua to remain on the planet’s surface. This is why today we see the planet so cold and lifeless, similar to the Mojave Desert in California. However, not everything is as hopeless as it looks.

Is There Hidden Water On Mars?

Yes, significant amounts of hidden aqua have been discovered on the Red Planet. However, it exists mainly in the form of ice due to the very low atmospheric pressure and low temperatures. The atmosphere on the planet is so rarefied that the pressure is about 0.6% of the Earth’s, and the temperature at night can reach an average of -73 degrees Celsius and in the polar regions — up to -125 degrees. Under such conditions, the existence of fluid is impossible; it turns into ice and then evaporates, bypassing the liquid phase. In physics, this process is called sublimation.

Where Is Most Of The Water On Mars?

Most of the frozen water on Mars is below the surface, in the cryosphere (This is the global layer of permanently frozen soil that can reach depths of up to 4 miles in different regions of the red planet). Much of the cryosphere, especially in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, is rich in H2O ice. Does Mars have water on its surface? Mostly at the poles. The polar caps contain both water ice and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide). Here is evidence of water on Mars from NASA and ESA missions:

In January 2004, ESA’s Mars Express orbiter, using its OMEGA light and heat measuring instrument, discovered significant amounts of ice beneath the planet’s southern polar cap surface.

In 2008, NASA’s Phoenix rover explored the soil at the northern pole of the planet. It used a robotic arm to dig and analyse soil samples and found water ice in them.

In 2018, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) detected subsurface ice at mid-latitudes of the planet. This discovery revealed the presence of extensive layers of ice and sand, confirming the existence of significant aqua reserves beneath the planet’s surface.

In December 2021, ESA’s ExoMars mission’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) discovered significant amounts of ice in the Valles Marineris canyon system. FREND instrument, installed on TGO, detected hydrogen in the upper metre of Martian soil, indicating the presence of aqua.

In January 2024, ESA’s Mars Express re-examined the Medusae Fossae formation near the equator after a 15-year hiatus. Signals from the Marsis radar suggested that the layered Medusae Fossae deposits may contain ice deposits up to 3.7 km deep. That’s enough to fill the Red Sea on Earth.

Real image of water on Mars. The shot was taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft and shows a patch of water ice sitting on the floor of an unnamed crater near the Martian north pole. Credit: ESA

How much water is on Mars? More than you can imagine. The polar caps alone contain millions of cubic kilometres of ice, enough to cover the entire planet with a layer of aqua several tens of meters thick. But under the surface of Mars, beneath a layer of dust and soil, there is even more ice.

Is There Liquid Water On Mars?

Liquid water on Mars exists, but it is located deep under the ice. In 2018 and 2020, ESA’s Mars Express orbiter used radar imaging to discover underground lakes beneath the southern polar cap at a depth of about 1.5 kilometres.

In August 2024, NASA’s Mars Insight Lander used a seismograph to measure the speed of seismic waves travelling through the Martian crust. This data allowed scientists to determine that there was a “bubble” of liquid aqua at a depth of 10 to 20 kilometres.

The presence of liquid water on Mars may indicate potential locations to search for traces of life, as similar conditions on Earth support microbial life.

Were The Channels On Mars Formed By Water Or Lava?

A Long and Winding Channel in Tharsis. Credit: NASA

The formation of channels on Mars is a subject of debate among scientists. While many channels were indeed carved by aqua, some were formed by lava. Researchers have compared Martian channels to lava channels on Earth, such as the terraces of the Hawaii Islands, and have found that some Martian channels have similar features, indicating their volcanic origin. For example, a study of the Ascraeus Mons volcano has shown that a channel previously thought to be the bed of an ancient Martian river was actually created by lava.

The channels found in the Tharsis region, however, were clearly formed by powerful liquid flows. This is indicated by features such as streamlined islands and terraced walls, which are consistent with erosion by H2O. In addition, some channels are of mixed nature. That is, they were initially cut by fluid and then modified by lava flows due to climate changes occurring on the planet.

Is Mars Water Drinkable?

Is the water on Mars drinkable is a question that concerns many researchers, especially in the context of possible colonisation. However, many scientists are not optimistic. Even on our native Earth, we are forced to purify H2O before drinking it, so as not to harm our health. What can we say about the Red Planer? Martian H2O can contain various salts, minerals and chemicals that can be toxic to humans. For example, perchlorates. These chemical compounds, found in the Martian soil, can cause problems with the thyroid gland and other disorders. And although NASA is already testing a new way to purify Martian ice from perchlorates, these are not all the dangers that await future colonists.

how to make water on Mars drinkable — The new method uses bacteria to break down perchlorates on Mars. Credit: NASA/Lynn Rothschild

On Earth, unpurified H2O often contains bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause contamination, and water on Mars is hardly an exception. Although no known life forms have been discovered, theoretically, if they existed, Martian aqua could contain microorganisms that could be deadly to humans.

Water On Mars Is The Key To Life Beyond The Earth

Scientists’ attempts to find out is there water on Mars or not have led to significant discoveries, showing that the planet once had abundant aqua reserves and still holds significant resources. Understanding the history and current state of Martian H2O is critical to future exploration and the possibility of colonising the planet.

In any case, Martian pioneers will have a difficult job of processing and cleaning this most valuable life resource. After all, aqua is needed not only for drinking, breathing, growing plants, and creating building materials; it is also necessary as protection from radiation and as a fuel when divided into hydrogen and oxygen. Currently there is water on Mars and this significantly simplifies the task of creating permanent settlements on the planet, but getting it in the required quantity and composition will be a very difficult challenge. And humanity is not yet ready for it.