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Updated September 12th, 2021 at 17:40 IST

Rock samples collected by NASA's Perseverance rover may hold ancient water from Mars

Salts have been spied within the Mars rocks, a likely result of the time when groundwater flowed through the planet and altered the minerals in the rock.

Reported by: Ananya Varma
NASA
Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech | Image:self
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In a significant breakthrough, rocks collected by NASA’s Perseverance Rover have suggested that there could potentially be a 'habitable sustained environment' on the red planet. According to a statement by NASA, the rock samples, which were successfully collected by NASA’s Perseverance Rover on September 6 and 8, will help scientists piece together the timeline of its past and give an insight into the planet's volcanic activity and periods of persistent water.

“It looks like our first rocks reveal a potentially habitable sustained environment,” said Ken Farley of Caltech, project scientist for the mission, which is led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. “It’s a big deal that the water was there a long time," the scientist was quoted by NASA as saying.

Ancient life on Mars?

The rock samples have been found to be basaltic in composition. The presence of crystalline minerals in volcanic rocks could help scientists understand their radiometric dating. Additionally, salts have been spied within the rocks, a likely result of the time when groundwater flowed through the planet and altered the minerals in the rock. These could prove to be microscopic time capsules, offering clues about the ancient climate and habitability.

"Each sample can serve as part of a larger chronological puzzle; put them in the right order, and scientists have a timeline of the most important events in the crater’s history. Some of those events include the formation of Jezero Crater, the emergence and disappearance of Jezero’s lake, and changes to the planet’s climate in the ancient past," NASA said in a statement. These initial results come as an encouraging sign that the Jezero Crater could hold the answer to key questions about the red planet. 

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover

Perseverance's mission on Mars has been initiated with an aim towards astrobiology. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, paving the way for human exploration of the Red Planet. According to NASA, Perseverance is exploring two geologic units containing Jezero Crater's deepest and most ancient layers of exposed bedrock and other intriguing geologic features. The first unit called the 'Crater Floor Fractured Rough' is the floor of Jezero while the adjacent unit, named 'Séítah' has Mars bedrock and is also home to ridges, layered rocks, and sand dunes.

(Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

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Published September 12th, 2021 at 17:40 IST

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