Our dating presumptions for the Red Planet may need a 2nd look.Fresh analysis of craters on Mars suggests that asteroids have been smashing into the surface at a constant rate for a minimum of 600 million years.Scientists typically use craters as a proxy to figure out how old a planetary surface is, given that more effects require more time to accrue. Examining crater development is a complicated procedure, however, and can rely on assumptions about the number of asteroids burn up in the environment and how many space rocks are in the region around the planet.Related: NASAs Curiosity rover shares incredible views of MarsIn new research, a group of scientists used a new crater detection algorithm to take a look at 521 effect craters on Mars that are more than 12 miles (20 kilometers) in size. Of that collection, just 49 craters formed in the last 600 million years and these were generated at a consistent rate, according to the new research.The new work contradicts previous research study recommending “spikes” in the variety of craters during short periods in the last 600 million years, study lead author Anthony Lagain, a research study fellow and planetary researcher at Australias Curtin University, said in a statement. Researchers presenting this theory believed that the impact spikes were triggered by large asteroids separating and sending out a cluster of pieces to strike the surface of Mars.” When huge bodies smash into each other, they get into pieces or particles, which is believed to have an effect on the creation of impact craters,” Lagain stated. “Our study reveals it is unlikely that particles resulted in any modifications to the development of impact craters on planetary surface areas.” The craters of Mars appear in this artists view of the Red Planet. (Image credit: IAU/M. Kornmesser) A specific period on Mars that may require a review is the so-called “Ordovician spike,” which happened about 470 million years earlier. The new research reveals the spike on Mars might instead be” [crater] preservation predisposition rather than a genuine boost in the asteroid impact flux,” the authors wrote.For future research study, the authors require more research on the possible timing of a spike (if there was any at all) on the moon, another large rocky body in our community– however without any considerable atmosphere.A research study based on the research was published in the Feb. 1 edition of Earth and Planetary Science Letters.Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook..
